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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/22060-h.zip b/22060-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f0ce33e --- /dev/null +++ b/22060-h.zip diff --git a/22060-h/22060-h.htm b/22060-h/22060-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a3c7c66 --- /dev/null +++ b/22060-h/22060-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,10634 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="CONTENT-TYPE" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii" /> +<title>The Young Franc Tireurs, by G. A. Henty</title> + +<style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[*/ + body {background:#ffffff; + color:black; + font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; + font-size:14pt; + margin-top:70px; + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + text-align:justify} + caption { font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.04em; font-family: "Arial"; + text-transform: uppercase; font-size: 18pt; } + div { text-align: center} + em {font-weight: bold} + h1 {text-align: center; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.05em} + h2 {text-align: center; letter-spacing: 0.04em} + h3 {text-align: center; letter-spacing: 0.04em} + hr {height: 5px} + p {text-indent: 4% } + pre {margin-left: 10%; font-size: 10pt;} + table {text-align: center} + td { font-family: "Arial"; text-align: left} + td.ltoc { letter-spacing: 0.04em; font-weight: bold; font-size: 18pt; + text-transform: uppercase; text-align: right; vertical-align: top } + td.rtoc { font-weight: bold; font-size: 18pt; text-align: left} + thead { font-weight: bold;} +/*]]>*/ +</style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Young Franc Tireurs, by G. A. Henty + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Young Franc Tireurs + And Their Adventures in the Franco-Prussian War + +Author: G. A. Henty + +Illustrator: F. T. Young + +Release Date: July 13, 2007 [EBook #22060] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE YOUNG FRANC TIREURS *** + + + + +<b>Produced by Martin Robb</b> + + + + + +</pre> + +<h1>The Young Franc Tireurs</h1> +<h2>And Their Adventures in the Franco-Prussian War<br /> +By G. A. Henty.</h2> +<hr /> +<center><table summary="Table of Contents"> +<caption>Contents</caption> +<tr><td class="ltoc"></td> +<td class="rtoc"><a href="#Preface">Preface</a>. +</td></tr> +<tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch1">Chapter 1</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> The Outbreak Of War.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch2">Chapter 2</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> Terrible News.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch3">Chapter 3</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> Death To The Spy!</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch4">Chapter 4</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> Starting For The Vosges.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch5">Chapter 5</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> The First Engagement.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch6">Chapter 6</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> The Tunnel Of Saverne.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch7">Chapter 7</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> A Baffled Project.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch8">Chapter 8</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> The Traitor.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch9">Chapter 9</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> A Desperate Fight.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch10">Chapter 10</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> The Bridge Of The Vesouze.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch11">Chapter 11</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> A Fight In The Vosges.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch12">Chapter 12</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> The Surprise.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch13">Chapter 13</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> The Escape.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch14">Chapter 14</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> A Perilous Expedition.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch15">Chapter 15</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> The Expedition.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch16">Chapter 16</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> A Desperate Attempt.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch17">Chapter 17</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> A Balloon Voyage.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch18">Chapter 18</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> A Day Of Victory.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch19">Chapter 19</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> Down At Last.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch20">Chapter 20</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> Crossing The Lines.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch21">Chapter 21</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> Home.</td> +</tr> +</table> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<table summary="Illustrations"> +<caption>Illustrations<br /></caption> +<tr><td><a href="#PicA"> +Rescue of a Supposed Spy. +</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#PicB"> +Among the German Soldiers. +</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#PicC"> +The Children on the Battlefield. +</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#PicD"> +The Sea! The Sea! +</a></td></tr> + + + + + +</table> +</center> +<h2><a name="Preface" id="Preface">Preface</a>.</h2> +<p>My Dear Lads,</p> +<p>The present story was written and published a few months, only, +after the termination of the Franco-German war. At that time the +plan--which I have since carried out in The Young Buglers, Cornet +of Horse, and In Times of Peril, and which I hope to continue, in +further volumes--of giving, under the guise of historical tales, +full and accurate accounts of all the leading events of great wars, +had not occurred to me. My object was only to represent one phase +of the struggle--the action of the bodies of volunteer troops known +as franc tireurs.</p> +<p>The story is laid in France and is, therefore, written from the +French point of view. The names, places, and dates have been +changed; but circumstances and incidents are true. There were a +good many English among the franc tireurs, and boys of from fifteen +to sixteen were by no means uncommon in their ranks. Having been +abroad during the whole of the war, I saw a good deal of these +irregulars, and had several intimate friends amongst them. Upon the +whole, these corps did much less service to the cause of France +than might have been reasonably expected. They were too often badly +led, and were sometimes absolutely worse than useless.</p> +<p>But there were brilliant exceptions, and very many of those +daring actions were performed which--while requiring heroism and +courage of the highest kind--are unknown to the world in general, +and find no place in history. Many of the occurrences in this tale +are related, almost in the words in which they were described to +me, by those who took part in them; and nearly every fact and +circumstance actually occurred, according to my own knowledge. +Without aspiring to the rank of a history, however slight, the +story will give you a fair idea of what the life of the franc +tireurs was, and of what some of them actually went through, +suffered, and performed.</p> +<p>Yours sincerely,</p> +<p>The Author.</p> +<h2><a name="Ch1" id="Ch1">Chapter 1</a>: The Outbreak Of War.</h2> +<p>The usually quiet old town of Dijon was in a state of +excitement. There were groups of people in the streets; especially +round the corners, where the official placards were posted up. Both +at the Prefecture and the Maine there were streams of callers, all +day. Every functionary wore an air of importance, and mystery; and +mounted orderlies galloped here and there, at headlong speed. The +gendarmes had twisted their mustaches to even finer points than +usual, and walked about with the air of men who knew all about the +matter, and had gone through more serious affairs than this was +likely to be.</p> +<p>In the marketplace, the excitement and buzz of conversation were +at their highest. It was the market day, and the whole area of the +square was full. Never, in the memory of the oldest inhabitant, had +such a market been seen in Dijon. For the ten days preceding, +France had been on the tiptoe of expectation; and every peasant's +wife and daughter, for miles round the town, had come with their +baskets of eggs, fowls, or fruits, to attend the market and to hear +the news. So crowded was it, that it was really difficult to move +about. People were not, however, unmindful of bargains--for the +French peasant woman is a thrifty body, and has a shrewd eye to +sous--so the chaffering and haggling, which almost invariably +precede each purchase, went on as briskly as usual but, between +times, all thoughts and all tongues ran upon the great event of the +day.</p> +<p>It was certain--quite certain, now--that there was to be war +with Prussia. The newspapers had said so, for some days; but then, +bah! who believes a newspaper? Monsieur le Prefect had published +the news, today; and everyone knows that Monsieur le Prefect is not +a man to say a thing, unless it were true. Most likely the Emperor, +himself, had written to him. Oh! There could be no doubt about it, +now.</p> +<p>It was singular to hear, amidst all the talk, that the +speculation and argument turned but little upon the chances of the +war, itself; it being tacitly assumed to be a matter of course that +the Germans would be defeated, with ease, by the French. The great +subject of speculation was upon the points which directly affected +the speakers. Would the Mobiles be called out, and forced to march; +would soldiers who had served their time be recalled to the +service, even if they were married; and would next year's +conscripts be called out, at once? These were the questions which +everyone asked, but no one could answer. In another day or two, it +was probable that the orders respecting these matters would arrive +and, in the meantime, the merry Burgundian girls endeavored to hide +their own uneasiness by laughingly predicting an early summons to +arms to the young men of their acquaintance.</p> +<p>At the Lycee--or great school--the boys are just coming out. +They are too excited to attend to lessons, and have been released +hours before their usual time. They troop out from the great doors, +talking and gesticulating. Their excitement, however, takes a +different form to that which that of English boys would do, under +the same circumstances. There was no shouting, no pushing, no +practical jokes. The French boy does not play; at least, he does +not play roughly. When young he does, indeed, sometimes play at +buchon--a game something similar to the game of buttons, as played +by English street boys. He may occasionally play at marbles but, +after twelve years of age, he puts aside games as beneath him. +Prisoners' base, football, and cricket are alike unknown to him; +and he considers any exertion which would disarrange his hair, or +his shirt collar, as barbarous and absurd. His amusements are +walking in the public promenade, talking politics with the gravity +of a man of sixty, and discussing the local news and gossip.</p> +<p>This is the general type of French school boy. Of course, there +are many exceptions and, in the Lycee of Dijon, these were more +numerous than usual. This was due, to a great extent, to the +influence of the two boys who are coming out of the school, at the +present moment. Ralph and Percy Barclay are--as one can see at +first sight--English; that is to say, their father is English, and +they have taken after him, and not after their French mother. They +are French born, for they first saw the light at the pretty cottage +where they still live, about two miles out of the town; but their +father, Captain Barclay, has brought them up as English boys, and +they have been for two years at a school in England.</p> +<p>Their example has had some effect. Their cousins, Louis and +Philippe Duburg, are almost as fond of cricket, and other games, +and of taking long rambles for miles round, as they are themselves. +Other boys have also taken to these amusements and, consequently, +you would see more square figures, more healthy faces at the Lycee +at Dijon than at most other French schools. The boys who joined in +these games formed a set in themselves, apart from the rest. They +were called either the English set or, contemptuously, the +"savages;" but this latter name was not often applied to them before +their faces, for the young Barclays had learned to box, in England; +and their cousins, as well as a few of the others, had practised +with the gloves with them. Consequently, although the "savages" +might be wondered at, and sneered at behind their backs, the +offensive name was never applied in their hearing.</p> +<p>At the present moment, Ralph Barclay was the center of a knot of +lads of his own age.</p> +<p>"And so, you don't think that we shall get to Berlin, Ralph +Barclay? You think that these Prussian louts are going to beat the +French army? Look now, it is a little strong to say that, in a +French town."</p> +<p>"But I don't say that, at all," Ralph Barclay said. "You are +talking as if it was a certainty that we were going to march over +the Prussians. I simply say, don't be too positive. There can be no +doubt about the courage of the French army; but pluck, alone, won't +do. The question is, are our generals and our organization as good +as those of the Prussians? And can we put as many, or anything like +as many, men into the field? I am at least half French, and hope +with all my heart that we shall thrash these Germans; but we know +that they are good soldiers, and it is safer not to begin to brag, +till the work is over."</p> +<p>There was silence, for a minute or two, after Ralph ceased +speaking. The fact was, the thought that perhaps France might be +defeated had never once, before, presented itself to them as +possible. They were half disposed to be angry with the English boy +for stating it; but it was in the first place, evident now that +they thought of it, that it was just possible and, in the second +place, a quarrel with Ralph Barclay was a thing which all his +schoolfellows avoided.</p> +<p>Ralph Barclay was nearly sixteen, his brother a year younger. +Their father, Captain Barclay, had lost a leg in one of the +innumerable wars in India, two or three years before the outbreak +of the Crimean war. He returned to England, and was recommended by +his doctors to spend the winter in the south of France. This he did +and, shortly after his arrival at Pau, he had fallen in love with +Melanie Duburg; daughter of a landed proprietor near Dijon, and who +was stopping there with a relative. A month later he called upon +her father at Dijon and, in the spring, they were married. Captain +Barclay's half pay, a small private income, and the little fortune +which his wife brought him were ample to enable him to live +comfortably, in France; and there, accordingly, he had settled +down.</p> +<p>His family consisted of Ralph, Percy, and a daughter--called, +after her mother, Melanie, and who was two years younger than +Percy. It had always been Captain Barclay's intention to return to +England, when the time came for the boys to enter into some +business or profession; and he had kept up his English connection +by several visits there, of some months' duration, with his whole +family. The boys, too, had been for two years at school in +England--as well as for two years in Germany--and they spoke the +three languages with equal fluency.</p> +<p>A prettier abode than that of Captain Barclay would be difficult +to find. It was in no particular style of architecture, and would +have horrified a lover of the classic. It was half Swiss, half +Gothic, and altogether French. It had numerous little gables, +containing the funniest-shaped little rooms. It had a high roof, +with projecting eaves; and round three sides ran a wide veranda, +with a trellis work--over which vines were closely +trained--subduing the glare of the summer sun, casting a cool green +shade over the sitting rooms, and affording a pretty and +delightfully cool retreat; where Mrs. Barclay generally sat with +her work and taught Melanie, moving round the house with the sun, +so as to be always in the shade.</p> +<p>The drawing and dining rooms both opened into this veranda The +road came up to the back of the house; and upon the other three +sides was a garden, which was a compromise between the English and +French styles. It had a smooth, well-mown lawn, with a few patches +of bright flowers which were quite English; and mixed up among +them, and beyond them, were clumps of the graceful foliaged plants +and shrubs in which the French delight. Beyond was a vineyard, with +its low rows of vines while, over these, the view stretched away to +the towers of Dijon.</p> +<p>In the veranda the boys, upon their return, found Captain +Barclay reading the papers, and smoking. He looked up as they +entered.</p> +<p>"You are back early, boys."</p> +<p>"Yes, papa, there was so much talking going on, that the +professor gave it up as hopeless. You have heard the news, of +course?"</p> +<p>"Yes, boys, and am very sorry to hear it."</p> +<p>Captain Barclay spoke so gravely that Ralph asked, +anxiously:</p> +<p>"Don't you think we shall thrash them, papa?"</p> +<p>"I consider it very doubtful, Ralph," his father said. "Prussia +has already gained an immense moral victory. She has chosen her own +time for war; and has, at the same time, obliged France to take the +initiative, and so to appear to be the aggressor--and therefore to +lose the moral support of Europe. She has forced this quarrel upon +France, and yet nine-tenths of Europe look upon France as the +inciter of the war. History will show the truth, but it will then +be too late. As it is, France enters upon the war with the weight +of public opinion dead against her and, what is worse, she enters +upon it altogether unprepared; whereas Prussia has been getting +ready, for years."</p> +<p>"But the French always have shown themselves to be better +soldiers than the Prussians, papa."</p> +<p>"So they have, Percy, and--equally well led, disciplined, and +organized--I believe that, in anything like equal forces, they +would do so again. The question is, have we generals to equal those +who led the Prussians to victory against Austria? Is our discipline +equal--or anything like equal--to that of the Prussians? Is our +organization as good as theirs? And lastly, have we anything like +their numbers?</p> +<p>"I don't like the look of it, boys, at all. We ought, according +to published accounts, to be able to put a larger army than theirs +in the field, just at first and, if we were but prepared, should +certainly be able to carry all before us, for a while. I question +very much if we are so prepared. Supposing it to be so, however, +the success would, I fear, be but temporary; for the German +reserves are greatly superior to ours. Discipline, too, has gone +off sadly, since I first knew the French army.</p> +<p>"Radical opinions may be very wise, and very excellent for a +nation, for aught I know; but it is certain that they are fatal to +the discipline of an army. My own opinion, as you know, is that +they are equally fatal for a country, but that is a matter of +opinion, only; but of the fact that a good Radical makes an +extremely bad soldier, I am quite clear, and the spread of Radical +opinion among the French army has been very great. Then, too, the +officers have been much to blame. They think of pleasure far more +than duty. They spend four times as much time in the cafes and +billiard rooms as they do in the drill ground. Altogether, in my +opinion, the French army has greatly gone off in all points--except +in courage which, being a matter of nationality, is probably as +high as ever. It is a bad lookout, boys--a very bad lookout.</p> +<p>"There, don't talk about it any more. I do not want to make your +mother unhappy. Remember not to express--either as my or your own +opinion--anything I have said, in the town. It would only render +you obnoxious, and might even cause serious mischief. If things go +wrong, French mobs are liable to wreak their bad temper on the +first comer."</p> +<p>"Percy," Mrs. Barclay said, coming into the room, "please to run +down to the end of the garden, and cut some lettuces for salad. +Marie is so upset that she can do nothing."</p> +<p>"What is the matter with her, mamma?" both the boys asked, at +once.</p> +<p>"Victor Harve--you know him, the son of the blacksmith Harve, +who had served his time in the army, and came back two months ago +to join his father in his forge, and to marry our Marie--has left +to join his regiment. He was here, an hour since, to say goodbye. +By this time he will have started. It is not wonderful that she +weeps. She may never see him again. I have told her that she must +be brave. A Frenchwoman should not grudge those she loves most to +fight for France."</p> +<p>"Ah! Melanie," Captain Barclay said, smiling, "these little +patriotic outbursts are delightful, when one does not have to +practice them at one's own expense. 'It is sweet and right to die +for one's country,' said the old Roman, and everyone agrees with +him but, at the same time, every individual man has a strong +objection to put himself in the way of this sweet and proper +death.</p> +<p>"Although, as you say, no Frenchwoman should grudge her love to +her country; I fancy, if a levee en masse took place, tomorrow, and +the boys as well as the cripples had to go--so that Ralph, Percy, +and I were all obliged to march--you would feel that you did grudge +us to the country, most amazingly."</p> +<p>Mrs. Barclay turned a little pale at the suggestion.</p> +<p>"Ah! I can't suppose that, Richard. You are English, and they +cannot touch you, or the boys; even if you could march, and if they +were old enough."</p> +<p>Captain Barclay smiled.</p> +<p>"That is no answer, Melanie. You are shirking the question. I +said, if they were to make us go."</p> +<p>"Ah, yes! I am afraid I should grudge you, Richard, and the +boys, except the enemy were to invade France; and then everyone, +even we women, would fight. But of that there is no chance. It is +we who will invade."</p> +<p>Captain Barclay made no reply.</p> +<p>"The plums want gathering, papa," Percy said, returning from +cutting the lettuces. "It was arranged that our cousins should come +over, when they were ripe, and have a regular picking. They have no +plums, and Madame Duburg wants them for preserving. May we go over +after dinner, and ask them to come in at three o'clock, and spend +the evening?"</p> +<p>"Certainly," Captain Barclay said; "and you can give your +mamma's compliments, and ask if your uncle and Madame Duburg will +come in, after they have dined. The young ones will make their +dinner at our six o'clock tea."</p> +<p>In France early dinner is a thing scarcely known, even among the +peasantry; that is to say, their meals are taken at somewhat the +same time as ours are, but are called by different names. The +Frenchman never eats what we call breakfast; that is, he never +makes a really heavy meal, the first thing in the morning. He +takes, however, coffee and milk and bread and butter, when he gets +up. He does not call this breakfast. He speaks of it as his morning +coffee; and takes his breakfast at eleven, or half-past eleven, or +even at twelve. This is a regular meal, with soup, meat, and wine. +In England it would be called an early lunch. At six o'clock the +Frenchman dines, and even the working man calls this meal--which an +English laborer would call supper--his dinner. The Barclays' meals, +therefore, differed more in name than in reality from those of +their neighbors.</p> +<p>Louis and Philippe Duburg came in at five o'clock, but brought a +message that their sisters would come in with their father and +mother, later. Melanie was neither surprised nor disappointed at +the non-arrival of her cousins. She greatly preferred being with +the boys, and always felt uncomfortable with Julie and Justine; +who, although little older than herself, were already as prim, +decorous, and properly behaved as if they had been women of thirty +years old. After tea was over, the four boys returned to their work +of gathering plums; while Melanie--or Milly, as her father called +her, to distinguish her from her mother--picked up the plums that +fell, handed up fresh baskets and received the full ones, and +laughed and chattered with her brothers and cousins.</p> +<p>While so engaged, Monsieur and Madame Duburg arrived, with their +daughters, Julie and Justine. Monsieur Duburg--Mrs. Barclay's +brother--was proprietor of a considerable estate, planted almost +entirely with vines. His income was a large one, for the soil was +favorable, and he carried on the culture with such care and +attention that the wines fetched a higher price than any in the +district. He was a clear-headed, sensible man, with a keen eye to a +bargain. He was fond of his sister and her English husband, and had +offered no opposition to his boys entering into the games and +amusements of their cousins--although his wife was constantly +urging him to do so. It was, to Madame Duburg, a terrible thing +that her boys--instead of being always tidy and orderly, and ready, +when at home, to accompany her for a walk--should come home +flushed, hot, and untidy, with perhaps a swelled cheek or a black +eye, from the effects of a blow from a cricket ball or boxing +glove.</p> +<p>Upon their arrival at Captain Barclay's, the two gentlemen +strolled out to smoke a cigar together, and to discuss the +prospects of the war and its effect upon prices.</p> +<p>Mrs. Barclay had asked Julie and Justine if they would like to +go down to the orchard; but Madame Duburg had so hurriedly answered +in their name, in a negative--saying that they would stroll round +the garden until Melanie returned--that Mrs. Barclay had no +resource but to ask them, when they passed near the orchard, to +call Milly--in her name--to join them in the garden.</p> +<p>"My dear Melanie," Madame Duburg began, when her daughters had +walked away in a quiet, prim manner, hand in hand, "I was really +quite shocked, as we came along. There was Melanie, laughing and +calling out as loudly as the boys themselves, handing up baskets +and lifting others down, with her hair all in confusion, and +looking--excuse my saying so--more like a peasant girl than a young +lady."</p> +<p>Mrs. Barclay smiled quietly.</p> +<p>"Milly is enjoying herself, no doubt, sister-in-law; and I do +not see that her laughing, or calling out, or handing baskets will +do her any serious harm. As for her hair, five minutes' brushing +will set that right."</p> +<p>"But, my dear sister-in-law," Madame Duburg said, earnestly, "do +you recall to yourself that Milly is nearly fourteen years old; +that she will soon be becoming a woman, that in another three years +you will be searching for a husband for her? My faith, it is +terrible--and she has yet no figure, no manner;" and Madame Duburg +looked, with an air of gratified pride, at the stiff figures of her +own two girls.</p> +<p>"Her figure is not a bad one, sister-in-law," Mrs. Barclay said, +composedly; "she is taller than Julie--who is six months her +senior--she is as straight as an arrow. Her health is admirable; +she has never had a day's illness."</p> +<p>"But she cannot walk; she absolutely cannot walk!" Madame Duburg +said, lifting up her hands in horror.</p> +<p>"She walked upwards of twelve miles with her father, yesterday," +Mrs. Barclay said, pretending to misunderstand her sister-in-law's +meaning.</p> +<p>"I did not mean that," Madame Duburg said, impatiently, "but she +walks like a peasant girl. My faith, it is shocking to say, but she +walks like a boy. I should be desolated to see my daughter step out +in that way.</p> +<p>"Then, look at her manners. My word, she has no manners at all. +The other day when I was here, and Monsieur de Riviere with his +sons called, she was awkward and shy; yes, indeed, she was +positively awkward and shy. It is dreadful for me to have to say +so, sister-in-law, but it is true. No manners, no ease! Julie, and +even Justine, can receive visitors even as I could do, myself."</p> +<p>"Her manners are not formed yet, sister-in-law," Mrs. Barclay +said, quietly, "nor do I care that they should be. She is a young +girl at present, and I do not wish to see her a woman before her +time. In three years it will be time enough for her to mend her +manners."</p> +<p>"But in three years, sister-in-law, you will be looking for a +husband for her."</p> +<p>"I shall be doing nothing of the sort," Mrs. Barclay said, +steadily. "In that, as in many other matters, I greatly prefer the +English ways. As you know, we give up our house in two years, and +go to England to reside. We have economized greatly, during the +seventeen years since our marriage. We can afford to live in +England, now.</p> +<p>"At sixteen, therefore, Milly will have good masters; and for +two years her education will be carried on, and her walk and manner +will, no doubt, improve. In England, fathers and mothers do not +arrange the marriage of their children; and Milly will have to do +as other girls do--that is--wait until someone falls in love with +her, and she falls in love with him. Then, if he is a proper +person, and has enough to keep her, they will be married."</p> +<p>Madame Duburg was too much shocked at the expression of these +sentiments to answer at once. She only sighed, shook her head, and +looked upwards.</p> +<p>"It is strange," she said at last, "to hear you, +sister-in-law--a Frenchwoman--speak so lightly of marriage. As if a +young girl could know, as well as her parents, who is a fit and +proper person for her to marry. Besides, the idea of a young girl +falling in love, before she marries, is shocking, quite +shocking!"</p> +<p>"My dear sister-in-law," Mrs. Barclay said, "we have talked this +matter over before, and I have always stated my opinion, frankly. I +have been a good deal in England; and have seen, therefore, and +know the result of English marriages. I know also what French +marriages are; and no one, who does know the state of things in the +two countries, can hesitate for a moment in declaring that married +life in England is infinitely happier, in every respect, than it is +in France. The idea of telling your daughter that she is to marry a +man whom she has never seen--as we do in France--is, to my mind, +simply monstrous. Fortunately, I myself married for love; and I +have been happy, ever since. I intend Milly, when the time comes, +to do the same thing."</p> +<p>Before Madame Duburg had time to answer, the gentlemen joined +them, and the conversation turned upon the war. In a short time the +three girls came up.</p> +<p>"What a rosy little thing you are, Milly," her uncle said; +"where do you get your plump cheeks, and your bright color? I wish +you could give the receipt to Julie and Justine. Why, if you were +to blow very hard, I do think you would blow them both down."</p> +<p>"I am really surprised at you, Monsieur Duburg," his wife said, +angrily. "I am sure I do not wish Julie and Justine to have as much +color as their cousin. I consider it quite a misfortune for poor +Milly. It is so very commonplace. Poor child, she looks as if she +had been working at the vintage."</p> +<p>"That is right, madame; stand up for your own," and her husband, +who was accustomed to his wife's speeches, laughed. "But for all +that, commonplace or not commonplace, I should like to see some of +Milly's bright, healthy color in my girls' cheeks; and I should +like to see them walk as if they had forgotten, for a moment, their +tight boots and high heels."</p> +<p>His wife was about to make an angry reply, when the arrival of +the four boys--bearing in triumph the last basket of plums--changed +the conversation; and shortly afterwards, Madame Duburg remarking +that the evening was damp, and that she did not like Julie and +Justine to be out in it any later, the Du burgs took their +leave.</p> +<h2><a name="Ch2" id="Ch2">Chapter 2</a>: Terrible News.</h2> +<p>The ten days succeeding the declaration of war were days of +excitement, and anticipation. The troops quartered at Dijon moved +forward at once; and scarcely an hour passed but long trains, +filled with soldiers from Lyons and the South, were on their way up +towards Metz. The people of Dijon spent half their time in and +around the station. The platform was kept clear; but bands of +ladies relieved each other every few hours, and handed soup, bread, +fruit, and wine to the soldiers as they passed through. Each +crowded train was greeted, as it approached the station, with +cheers and waving of handkerchiefs; to which the troops as heartily +responded. Most of the trains were decorated with boughs, and +presented a gay appearance as, filled with the little line men, the +sunburned Zouaves, swarthy Turcos, gay hussars, or sober +artillerymen, they wound slowly into the town.</p> +<p>Some of the trains were less gay, but were not less significant +of war. Long lines of wagons, filled with cannon; open trucks with +the deadly shell--arranged side by side, point upwards, and looking +more like eggs in a basket than deadly missiles--came and went. +There, too, were long trains of pontoons for forming bridges while, +every half hour, long lines of wagons filled with biscuits, barrels +of wine, sacks of coffee, and cases of stores of all sorts and +kinds passed through.</p> +<p>The enthusiasm of Dijon, at the sight of this moving panorama of +war, rose to fever heat. The sound of the Marseillaise resounded +from morning to night. Victory was looked upon as certain, and the +only subject of debate was as to the terms which victorious France +would impose upon conquered Prussia. The only impatience felt was +for the news of the first victory.</p> +<p>Captain Barclay sent down several casks of wine, for the use of +the passing troops; and his wife went down, each day, to assist at +the distribution. In the evening she and Milly scraped old rags, to +make lint for the wounded. The Lycee was still closed--as it was +found impossible to get the boys to attend to their studies--and +Ralph and Percy spent their time in watching the trains go past, +and in shouting themselves hoarse.</p> +<p>Captain Barclay did not share in the general enthusiasm and, +each morning at breakfast, he looked more and more grave as, upon +opening the papers, he found there was still no news of the +commencement of hostilities.</p> +<p>"What difference does it make, papa?" Ralph asked, one day; "we +are sending fresh troops up, every hour, and I do not see how a few +days' delay can be any disadvantage to us."</p> +<p>"It makes all the difference, Ralph, all the difference in the +world. We had a considerably larger standing army than the +Prussians, and had the advantage that the main body of our troops +were very much nearer to the frontier than those of the Prussians. +If things had been ready, we ought to have marched two hundred +thousand men into Germany, three or four days--at latest--after the +declaration of war. The Germans could have had no force capable of +resisting them. We should have had the prestige of a first +success--no slight thing with a French army--and we should also +have had the great and solid advantage of fighting in an enemy's +country, instead of upon our own.</p> +<p>"The German reserves are far greater than our own. We know how +perfect their organization is, and every hour of delay is an +immense advantage to them. It is quite likely now that, instead of +the French invading Germany, it will be the Prussians who will +invade France."</p> +<p>The boys were but little affected by their father's forebodings. +It was scarcely possible to suppose that everyone could be wrong; +still more impossible to believe that those great hosts which they +saw passing, so full of high hope and eager courage, could be +beaten. They were, however, very glad to sit round the table of an +evening, while Captain Barclay opened a great map on the table, +explained the strength of the various positions, and the +probability of this or that line of attack being selected by one or +the other army.</p> +<p>Day after day went by until, on the 2nd of August, the news came +at last. The first blow had been struck, the first blood shed--the +French had taken Saarbruck.</p> +<p>"It is too late," Captain Barclay said, as Ralph and Percy +rushed in, to say that the news was posted up at the Prefecture. +"It is too late, boys. The English papers, of this morning, have +brought us the news that the Germans are massing at least seven or +eight hundred thousand men, along the line from Saar Louis to +Spiers. It is evident that they fell back from Saarbruck without +any serious resistance. In another two or three days they will be +in readiness and, as they must far outnumber our men, you will see +that the advantage at Saarbruck will not be followed up, and that +the Prussians will assume the offensive."</p> +<p>"Then what do you really think will be the result, papa?"</p> +<p>"I think, Ralph, that we shall be forced to do what--not having, +at once, taken the offensive--we ought to have done from the first. +We shall have to fall back, to abandon the line of frontier--which +is altogether indefensible--and to hold the line of the Moselle, +and the spurs of the Vosges; an immensely strong position, and +which we ought to be able to hold against all the efforts of +Prussia."</p> +<p>The exultation of Dijon was but short lived for, on the 5th, the +boys came up in the afternoon, from the town, with very serious +faces.</p> +<p>"What is the matter, Ralph?"</p> +<p>"There is a rumor in the town, papa, that the Swiss papers have +published an account of the capture of Weissenburg, by the +Prussians. A great many French are said to be prisoners. Do you +think it can be true?"</p> +<p>"It is probable, at any rate, Ralph. The Swiss papers would, of +course, get the news an hour or so after it is known in Germany. We +must not begin by believing all that the telegram says, because +both sides are certain to claim victories; still, the absolute +capture of a town is a matter upon which there can be no dispute, +and is therefore likely enough to be true. We know the Prussians +were massed all along that line and, as I expected, they have taken +the offensive. Their chances of success in so doing were evident; +as neither party know where the others are preparing to strike a +blow, and each can therefore concentrate, and strike with an +overwhelming force at any given point.</p> +<p>"Now that the Germans have made the first move, and shown their +intention, both parties will concentrate in that direction. You +see, from Weissenburg the Germans can either march south upon +Strasburg, or southwest upon Metz or Nancy; but to reach this +latter place they will have to cross the spurs of the Vosges. The +French will, of course, try to bar their further advance. We may +expect a great battle, in a day or two."</p> +<p>The news came but too soon for--two days later--Dijon, as well +as all France, stood aghast at the news of the utter rout of +MacMahon's division, after the desperately contested battle of +Woerth; and the not less decided, though less disastrous, defeats +of the French left, at Forbach, by the troops of Steinmetz. Some +little consolation was, however, gleaned by the fact that the +French had been beaten in detail; and had shown the utmost +gallantry, against greatly superior numbers. They would now, no +doubt, fall back behind the Moselle; and hold that line, and the +position of the Vosges, until fresh troops could come up, and a +great battle be fought upon more even terms.</p> +<p>Fresh levies were everywhere ordered, and a deep and general +feeling of rage prevailed. No one thought of blaming the troops--it +was evident that they had done their best; the fault lay with the +generals, and with the organization.</p> +<p>Captain Barclay pointed out, to the boys, that the officers and +men were somewhat to blame, also; for the utter confusion which +prevailed among MacMahon's troops, in their retreat, showed that +the whole regimental system was faulty; and that there could have +been no real discipline, whatever, or the shattered regiments would +have rallied, a few miles from the field of battle.</p> +<p>In Dijon, the change during the last fortnight was marvelous The +war spirit was higher than ever. Cost what it might, this disgrace +must be wiped out. The Mobiles were hard at work, drilling. The +soldiers who had long left the army were starting, by every train, +to the depots. The sound of the Marseillaise rang through the +streets, night and day. The chorus, "To arms," gained a fresh +meaning and power and, in spite of these first defeats, none +dreamed of final defeat.</p> +<p>Every day, however, the news became worse. Strasburg was cut +off; and the Prussians marched unopposed across the spurs of the +Vosges, where a mere handful of men might have checked them.</p> +<p>"Boys, there are terrible days in store, for France," Captain +Barclay said, when the news came that the enemy had entered Nancy. +"The line of the Moselle is turned. Bazaine will be cut off, unless +he hurries his retreat; and then nothing can stop the Prussians +from marching to Paris."</p> +<p>The boys sat speechless at this terrible assurance.</p> +<p>"Surely it cannot be as bad as that," Mrs. Barclay said. +"Frenchmen cannot have lost all their old qualities; and all France +will rise, like one man, to march to the defense of Paris."</p> +<p>"Raw levies will be of no use, whatever, against the Prussian +troops, flushed with victory," Captain Barclay said; "even if they +were armed--and where are the arms, for a levy en masse, to come +from? If Bazaine be beaten, the only hope of France is for all the +troops who remain to fall back under the guns of the forts of +Paris; and for France to enter upon an immense guerrilla war. For +hosts of skirmishers to hang upon their flanks and rear; cutting +every road, destroying every bridge, checking the movements of +every detached body, and so actually starving them out, on the +ground which they occupy.</p> +<p>"This, however, will demand an immense amount of pluck, of +endurance, of perseverance, of sacrifice, and of patriotism. The +question is, does France possess these qualities?"</p> +<p>"Surely, Richard, you cannot doubt the patriotism of the +French," Mrs. Barclay said, a little reproachfully.</p> +<p>"My dear Melanie," her husband said, "I am sorry to say that I +very greatly doubt the patriotism of the French. They are--more +than any people, more even than the English, whom they laugh at as +a nation of shopkeepers--a money-making race. The bourgeoise class, +the shopkeepers, the small proprietors, are selfish in the extreme. +They think only of their money, their business, and their comforts. +The lower class are perhaps better, but their first thoughts will +be how the war will affect themselves and, unless there is some +chance of the enemy approaching their homes, driving off their +cattle, and plundering their cottages, they will look on with a +very calm eye at the general ruin.</p> +<p>"I believe, remember, that those who will be called out will go +and, if affairs go as I fear that they will do, every man under +fifty years old in France will have to go out; but it is not enough +to go out. For a war like this, it will require desperate courage +and endurance, and an absolute disregard of life; to counterbalance +the disadvantages of want of discipline, want of arms, want of +artillery, and want of organization I may be wrong--I hope that I +am so--but time will show."</p> +<p>"And do you think that there is any chance of their coming down +here, as well as of going to Paris, papa?" Percy asked.</p> +<p>"That would depend upon the length of the resistance, Percy. If +France holds out, and refuses to grant any terms which the +Prussians might try to impose upon them, they may overrun half the +country and, as this town is directly upon their way for Lyons--the +second town of France--they are exceedingly likely to come this +way."</p> +<p>"Well, if they do, papa," Ralph said, with heightened color, "I +feel sure that every man who can carry a gun will go out, and that +every home will be defended."</p> +<p>"We shall see, Ralph," Captain Barclay said, "we shall see."</p> +<p>Another pause, and then came the news of that terrible three +days' fighting--on the 14th, 16th, and 18th--near Metz; when +Bazaine, his retreat towards Paris cut off, vainly tried to force +his way through the Prussian army and, failing, fell back into +Metz. Even now, when the position was well-nigh desperate--with the +only great army remaining shut up and surrounded; and with nothing +save the fragment of MacMahon's division, with a few other +regiments, collected in haste, and the new levies, encamped at +Chalons, between the victorious enemy and the capital--the people +of France were scarcely awake to the urgency of the position. The +Government concealed at least a portion of the truth, and the +people were only too ready to be deceived.</p> +<p>In Dijon, however, the facts were better known, and more +understood. The Swiss newspapers, containing the Prussian official +telegrams and accounts, arrived daily; and those who received them +speedily spread the news through the town. The consternation was +great, and general, but there was no sign of despair. Those of the +Mobiles who were armed and equipped were sent off, at once, to +Chalons. At every corner of the street were placards, calling out +the Mobiles and soldiers who had served their time; and, although +not yet called to arms, the national guard drilled in the Place +d'Armes, morning and evening.</p> +<p>"You will allow, Richard, that you were mistaken as to the +patriotism of the people," Mrs. Barclay said, one evening, to her +husband. "Everyone is rushing to arms."</p> +<p>"They are coming out better than I had expected, Melanie; but at +the same time, you will observe that they have no choice in the +matter. The Mobiles are called out, and have to go. All who can +raise the most frivolous pretext for exemption do so. There is a +perfect rush of young men to the Prefecture, to obtain places in +the clothing, medical, arming, and equipping departments; in any +sort of service, in fact, which will exempt its holder from taking +up arms.</p> +<p>"At the same time, there is a great deal of true, earnest +patriotism. Many married men, with families, have volunteered; and +those belonging to the categories called out do go, as you say, +cheerfully, if not willingly and, once enrolled, appear determined +to do their duty.</p> +<p>"France will need all the patriotism, and all the devotion of +her people to get through the present crisis. There is no saying +how it will end. I have no hope, whatever, that MacMahon's new army +can arrest the march of the enemy; and his true course is to fall +back upon Paris. Our chance, here, of remaining free from a visit +of the enemy depends entirely upon the length of time which +Strasburg and Metz hold out. Bazaine may be able to cut his way out +but, at any rate, he is likely to remain where he is, for some +little time, under the walls of Metz; for he occupies the attention +of a considerably larger force than that which he commands.</p> +<p>"The vital point, at present, is to cut the roads behind the +Germans. If it were not for this cork leg of mine, Melanie, I would +try and raise a small guerrilla corps, and set out on my own +account. I have lived here for seventeen years, now, and the French +fought by our side, in the Crimea. Could I do so, I should +certainly fight for France, now. It is clearly the duty of anyone +who can carry a musket to go out."</p> +<p>Just at this moment the door opened, and Ralph and Percy entered +hastily. They both looked excited, but serious.</p> +<p>"What is it, boys?"</p> +<p>"Papa," Ralph said, "there is a notice up, signed by your friend +Captain Tempe. He calls for a hundred volunteers, to join a corps +of franc tireurs--a sort of guerrillas, I believe--to go out to +harass the Germans, and cut their communication. Those who can are +to provide their own arms and equipments. A meeting is to be held, +tonight, for subscribing the money for those who cannot afford to +do so.</p> +<p>"We have come to ask you to let us join, papa. Louis and +Philippe have just gone to ask uncle's leave."</p> +<p>Captain Barclay listened in silence, with a very grave face. +Their mother sat down in a chair, with a white face.</p> +<p>"Oh, my boys, you are too young," she gasped out.</p> +<p>"We are stronger, mamma, than a great many of the men who have +been called out; and taller and stouter, in every way. We can walk +better than the greater portion of them. We are accustomed to +exercise and fatigue. We are far more fit to be soldiers than many +young men who have gone from here. You said yourself, mamma, that +everyone who could carry a gun ought to go out."</p> +<p>"But you are not French, boys," Mrs. Barclay said, +piteously.</p> +<p>"We are half French, mamma. Not legally, but it has been home to +us, since we were born and, even if you had not been French, we +ought to fight for her."</p> +<p>Mrs. Barclay looked at her husband for assistance, but Captain +Barclay had leaned his face in his hands, and said nothing.</p> +<p>"Ah, Ralph; but Percy at least, he is only fifteen."</p> +<p>"I am nearly as big, nearly as strong as Ralph, mamma. Besides, +would it not be better to have two of us? If one is ill or--or +wounded--the other could look after him, you know.</p> +<p>"Mamma, dearest, we have talked it over, and we think we ought +to go. We are very strong for our ages; and it is strength, not +years, which matters. Mamma, you said a Frenchwoman should not +grudge those she loves to France; and that if France was invaded +all, even the women, should go out."</p> +<p>Mrs. Barclay was silent. She could not speak. She was so deadly +pale, and her face had such an expression of misery, that the boys +felt their resolution wavering.</p> +<p>Captain Barclay looked up.</p> +<p>"Boys," he said, very gravely, "I have one question to ask; +which you will answer me truly, upon your faith and honor Do you +wish to go merely--or principally--from a desire to see the +excitement and the adventure of a guerrilla war; or do you go out +because you desire earnestly to do your best, to defend the country +in which you were born, and lived? Are you prepared to suffer any +hardship and, if it is the will of God, to die for her?"</p> +<p>"We are, papa," both boys said.</p> +<p>And Ralph went on:</p> +<p>"When we first talked over the possibility of everyone being +called out--and of our going, too--we did look upon it as a case of +fun and excitement; but when the chance really came, we saw how +serious it was. We knew how much it would cost you, and dear mamma; +and we would not have asked you, had we not felt that we ought to +go, even if we knew we should be killed."</p> +<p>"In that case, boys," Captain Barclay said, solemnly, rising and +laying one hand on the shoulder of each of his sons, "in that case, +I say no more. You are a soldier's sons, and your example may do +good. It is your duty, and that of everyone, to fight for his +country. I give you my full consent to go. I should not have +advised it. At your age, there was no absolute duty. Still, if you +feel it so, I will not stand in your way.</p> +<p>"Go then, my boys, and may God watch over you, and keep you, and +send you safe home again."</p> +<p>So saying, he kissed them both on the forehead, and walked from +the room without saying another word.</p> +<p>Then the boys turned to their mother, who was crying silently +and, falling upon her neck, they kissed her and cried with her. It +was understood that her consent was given, with their father's.</p> +<p>Milly, coming in and hearing what was the matter, sat down in +sudden grief and astonishment on the nearest chair, and cried +bitterly. It was a sad half hour, and the boys were almost inclined +to regret that they had asked for leave to go. However, there was +no drawing back now and, when they left their mother, they went on +to tell their cousins that they were going.</p> +<p>They found Louis and Philippe in a state of great +disappointment, because their father had altogether refused to +listen to their entreaties. Upon hearing, however, that Ralph and +Percy were going, they gained fresh hope; for they said, if English +boys could go and fight for France, it was shameful that French +boys should stay at home, in idleness.</p> +<p>Captain Barclay, after giving permission to his sons to go as +franc tireurs, first went for a walk by himself, to think over the +consequences of his decision. He then went down into Dijon, and +called upon Captain Tempe. The commander of the proposed corps had +served for many years in the Zouaves, and was known to be an able +and energetic officer. He had left the service, five or six years +previously, upon his marriage. He lived a short distance, only, +from Captain Barclay; and a warm friendship had sprung up between +them.</p> +<p>Upon Captain Barclay telling him why he had come to see him, +Captain Tempe expressed his satisfaction at the decision of the +young Barclays.</p> +<p>"I have already the names of one or two lads little, if any, +older than your eldest boy," he said; "and although the other is +certainly very young yet, as he is very stout and strong for his +age, I have no doubt he will bear the fatigue as well as many of +the men."</p> +<p>"I wish I could go with you," Captain Barclay said.</p> +<p>"I wish you could, indeed," Captain Tempe replied, warmly; "but +with your leg you never could keep up, on foot; and a horse would +be out of the question, among the forests of the Vosges +mountains.</p> +<p>"You might, however--if you will--be of great use in assisting +me to drill and discipline my recruits, before starting."</p> +<p>"That I will do, with pleasure," Captain Barclay said. "I had +been thinking of offering my services, in that way, to the +municipality; as very few of the officers of the Mobiles, still +less of the national guard, know their duty. As it is, I will +devote myself to your corps, till they march.</p> +<p>"In the first place, how strong do you mean them to be?"</p> +<p>"One strong company, say one hundred and twenty men," Captain +Tempe answered. "More than that would be too unwieldy for guerrilla +work. I would rather have twenty less, than more; indeed, I should +be quite satisfied with a hundred. If I find that volunteers come +in, in greater numbers than I can accept, I shall advise them to +get up other, similar corps. There ought to be scores of small +parties, hanging upon the rear and flank of the enemy, and +interrupting his communication."</p> +<p>"How do you think of arming them?"</p> +<p>"Either with chassepots, or with your English rifles. It is of +no use applying to Government. They will not be able to arm the +Mobiles, for months; to say nothing of the national guard. We must +buy the rifles in England, or Belgium. It will be difficult to get +chassepots; so I think the best plan will be to decide, at once, +upon your Sniders."</p> +<p>"I know a gentleman who is connected with these matters, in +England; and will, if you like, send out an order at once for, say, +eleven dozen Sniders; to be forwarded via Rouen, and thence by +rail."</p> +<p>"I should be very glad if you would do so," Captain Tempe said. +"I have no doubt about getting that number of recruits, easily +enough. I have had a good many calls already, this morning; and +several thousand francs of subscription have been promised. In +another three or four days, the money will be ready; so if you +write to your friends, to make an agreement with a manufacturer, I +can give you the money by the time his answer arrives. When the +guns arrive, those who can pay for them will do so, and the rest +will be paid for by the subscriptions.</p> +<p>"Of course, we shall want them complete with bayonets. If, at +the same time, you can order ammunition--say, two hundred rounds +for each rifle--it would be, perhaps, a saving of time; as the +Government may not be able to supply any, at first. However, after +the meeting, this evening, I shall see how the subscriptions come +in; and we can settle on these points, tomorrow. The municipality +will help, I have no doubt."</p> +<p>"What is your idea as to equipment, Tempe?"</p> +<p>"As light as possible. Nothing destroys the go of men more than +to be obliged to carry heavy weights on their shoulders. We shall +be essentially guerrillas Our attacks, to be successful, must be +surprises. Speed, therefore, and the power to march long distances, +are the first of essentials.</p> +<p>"I do not propose to carry knapsacks--mere haversacks, bags +capable of containing a spare shirt, a couple of pairs of socks, +and three days' biscuits. Each man must also carry a spare pair of +boots, strapped to his belt, behind. A thick blanket--with a hole +cut for the head, so as to make a cloak by day, a cover by +night--will be carried, rolled up over one shoulder like a scarf; +and each man should carry a light, waterproof coat.</p> +<p>"I do not propose to take even tents d'abri. They add +considerably to the weight and, unless when we are actually engaged +in expeditions, we shall make our headquarters at some village; +when the men can be dispersed among the cottages, or sleep in +stables, or barns. When on expeditions, they must sleep in the open +air."</p> +<p>"I quite approve of your plan," Captain Barclay said. "Exclusive +of his rifle and ammunition, the weight need not be above fifteen +pounds a man and, with this, they ought to be able to march, and +fight, with comfort. The way your soldiers march out, laden like +beasts of burden, is absurd. It is impossible for men either to +march, or fight, with a heavy load upon their backs.</p> +<p>"Have you thought about uniform?"</p> +<p>"No, I have not settled at all. I thought of letting the men fix +upon one of their own choice."</p> +<p>"Do nothing of the sort," Captain Barclay said. "The men will +only think of what is most becoming, or picturesque. You cannot do +better than fix upon some good, serviceable uniform of a +dark-grayish color; something similar to that of some of our +English Volunteer Corps. I will give you a drawing of it.</p> +<p>"Let the tunics be made of a thick and good cloth. Let the men +have short trousers--or, as we call them, knickerbockers--with +leather gaiters and lace boots. The shoes of your soldier are +altogether a mistake. I will bring you a sketch, tomorrow; and you +will see that it is neat, as well as serviceable."</p> +<p>"Thank you.</p> +<p>"By the way, I suppose that you have no objection to my +mentioning, at the meeting this evening, that your sons have +joined? If there should be any inclination to hang back--which I +hope there will not be--the fact that your boys have joined may +decide many who would otherwise hesitate."</p> +<p>"Certainly.</p> +<p>"I will not detain you longer, at present. I shall see you in a +day or two, and any assistance which I can give is at your +service."</p> +<p>"Thanks very much. I only wish that you could go with us.</p> +<p>"Goodbye. Tell the boys that their names are down, and that we +shall begin drill in a day or two."</p> +<h2><a name="Ch3" id="Ch3">Chapter 3</a>: Death To The Spy!</h2> +<p>The next morning Madame Duburg arrived, at ten o'clock; an hour +at which she had never, as far as Mrs. Barclay knew, turned out of +her house since her marriage. She was actually walking fast, too. +It was evident that something serious was the matter.</p> +<p>Mrs. Barclay was in the garden, and her visitor came straight +out from the house to her.</p> +<p>"Is anything the matter?" was Mrs. Barclay's first question.</p> +<p>"Yes, a great deal is the matter," Madame Duburg began, +vehemently. "You and your English husband are mad. Your wretched +boys are mad. They have made my sons mad, also; and--my faith--I +believe that my husband will catch it. It is enough to make me, +also, mad."</p> +<p>Notwithstanding the trouble in which Mrs. Barclay was, at the +resolution of her sons, she could scarcely help smiling at the +excitement of Madame Duburg; the cause of which she at once +guessed. However, she asked, with an air of astonishment:</p> +<p>"My dear sister-in-law, what can you be talking about?"</p> +<p>"I know what I say," Madame Duburg continued. "I always said +that you were mad, you and your husband, to let your boys go about +and play, and tear and bruise themselves like wild Indians. I +always knew that harm would come of it, when I saw my boys come in +hot--oh, so unpleasantly hot, to look at--but I did not think of +such harm as this. My faith, it is incredible. When I heard that +you were to marry yourself to an Englishman, I said at once:</p> +<p>"'It is bad, harm will come of it. These English are islanders. +They are eccentric. They are mad. They sell their wives in the +market, with a cord round their neck.'"</p> +<p>"My dear sister-in-law," Mrs. Barclay interrupted, "I have so +often assured you that that absurd statement was entirely false; +and due only to the absolute ignorance, of our nation, of +everything outside itself."</p> +<p>"I have heard it often," Madame Duburg went on, positively. +"They are a nation of singularities. I doubt not that it is true, +he has hidden the truth from you. True or false, I care not. They +are mad. For this I care not. My faith, I have not married an +Englishman. Why, then, should I care for the madness of this nation +of islanders?</p> +<p>"This I said, when I heard that you were to marry an Englishman. +Could I imagine that I, also, was to become a victim? Could I +suppose that my husband--a man sensible in most things--would also +become mad; that my boys would grow up like young savages, and +would offer themselves to go out to sleep without beds, to catch +colds, to have red noses and coughs, perhaps even--my faith--to be +killed by the balls of German pigs? My word of honor, I ask +myself:</p> +<p>"'Am I living in France? Am I asleep? Am I dreaming? Am I, too, +mad?'</p> +<p>"I said to myself:</p> +<p>"'I shall go to my sister-in-law, and I will demand of her, is +it possible that these things are true?'"</p> +<p>"If you mean by all this, sister-in-law, is it true that I have +consented to my boys going out to fight for France, it is quite +true," Mrs. Barclay said, quietly.</p> +<p>Madame Duburg sat down upon a garden seat, raised her hands, and +nodded her head slowly and solemnly.</p> +<p>"She says it is true, she actually says that it is true."</p> +<p>"Why should they not go?" Mrs. Barclay continued, quietly. "They +are strong enough to carry arms, and why should they not go out to +defend their country? In a short time, it is likely that everyone +who can carry arms will have to go. I shall miss them sorely, it is +a terrible trial; but other women have to see their sons go out, +why should not I?"</p> +<p>"Because there is no occasion for it, at all," Madame Duburg +said, angrily; "because they are boys and not men, because their +father is English; and stupid men like my husband will say, if +these young English boys go, it will be a shame upon us for our own +to remain behind.</p> +<p>"What, I ask you, is the use of being well off? What is the use +of paying taxes for an army, if our boys must fight? It is absurd, +it is against reason, it is atrocious."</p> +<p>Madame Duburg's anger and remonstrance were, alike, lost upon +Mrs. Barclay; and she cut her visitor short.</p> +<p>"My dear sister-in-law, it is of no use arguing or talking. I +consider, rightly or wrongly, that the claims of our country stand +before our private convenience, or inconvenience. If I were a man, +I should certainly go out to fight; why should not my boys do so, +if they choose? At any rate, I have given my consent, and it is too +late to draw back, even if I wished to do so--which I say, frankly, +that I do not."</p> +<p>Madame Duburg took her departure, much offended and, late in the +evening, her husband came in and had a long talk with Captain +Barclay. The following morning Louis and Philippe came in--in a +high state of delight--to say that their father had, that morning, +given his consent to their going.</p> +<p>In three days after the opening of the list, a hundred and +twenty men had inscribed their names; and Captain Tempe refused to +admit more. Numbers were, he argued, a source of weakness rather +than of strength, when the men were almost entirely ignorant of +drill. For sudden attacks, for night marches, for attacks upon +convoys, number is less needed than dash and speed. Among large +bodies discipline cannot be kept up, except by immense severity +upon the part of the officers; or by the existence of that feeling +of discipline and obedience, among the men, which is gained only by +long custom to military habits. Besides which, the difficulty of +obtaining provisions for a large body of men would be enormous.</p> +<p>Indeed, Captain Tempe determined to organize even this small +corps into four companies, each of thirty men; to act under one +head, and to join together upon all occasions of important +expeditions; but at other times to be divided among villages, at +such distance as would enable them to watch a large extent of +country, each company sending out scouts and outposts in its own +neighborhood.</p> +<p>By far the larger proportion of those who joined were either +proprietors, or the sons of proprietors, in and around Dijon. At +that time Government had made no arrangement, whatever, concerning +franc tireurs; and no pay was, therefore, available. The invitation +was, therefore, especially to those willing and able to go out upon +their own account, and at their own expense. Other recruits had +been invited but, as these could join the regular forces and +receive pay, and other advantages, the number who sent in their +names was small. The men who did so were, for the most part, picked +men; foresters, wood cutters, and others who preferred the +certainty of active and stirring service, among the franc tireurs, +to the pay and comparative monotony of the regular service. There +were some forty of these men among the corps, the rest being all +able to provide at least their outfit. Subscriptions had come in +rapidly and, in a week, an ample sum was collected to arm and equip +all those not able to do so for themselves; and to form a military +chest sufficient to pay for the food of the whole corps, in the +field, for some time.</p> +<p>When the list of volunteers was complete, a meeting was held at +which, for the first time, the future comrades met. Besides Ralph +and Percy, and their cousins, there were six or eight others of +their school friends, all lads of about sixteen. It was an +important moment in their lives, when they then felt themselves--if +not actually men--at least, as going to do the work of men. Upon +the table in the room in which the meeting was held was a document, +which each in turn was to sign and, behind this, Captain Tempe took +his seat.</p> +<p>As many of those present knew each other, there was a +considerable buzz and talk in the room, until Captain Tempe tapped +the table for silence, and then rose to speak.</p> +<p>"My friends," he began, "--for I cannot call you comrades, until +you have formally entered your names--before you irrevocably commit +yourselves to this affair, I wish you each to know exactly what it +is that we are going to do. This will be no holiday expedition. I +can promise all who go with me plenty of excitement, and a great +deal of fighting; but I can also promise them, with equal +certainty, an immense deal of suffering--an amount of hardship and +privation of which, at present, few here have any idea, whatever. +The winter is fast coming on, and winter in the Vosges mountains is +no trifle. Let no one, then, put down his name here who is not +prepared to suffer every hardship which it is well possible to +suffer.</p> +<p>"As to the danger, I say nothing. You are Frenchmen; and have +come forward to die, if needs be, for your country."</p> +<p>Here the speaker was interrupted by loud cheering, and cries of +"Vive la France!"</p> +<p>"Next, as to discipline. This is an extremely important point. +In our absence from military stations, it is essential that we, +ourselves, should keep and enforce the strictest discipline. I have +this morning received from General Palikao--under whom I served, +for many years--an answer to an application I wrote to him, a week +since. He highly approves of my plan of cutting the roads behind +the Prussians, and only wishes that he had a hundred small corps +out upon the same errand. He has already received other proposals +of the same nature. He enclosed, with his letter, my formal +appointment as Commandant of the Corps of Franc Tireurs of Dijon; +with full military authority, and power."</p> +<p>Great cheering again broke out.</p> +<p>"This power, in case of need, I warn you that I shall use +unhesitatingly. Discipline, in a corps like ours, is everything. +There must be no murmuring, under hardships; no hesitation in +obeying any order, however unpleasant. Prompt, willing, cheerful +obedience when at work; a warm friendship, and perfect good +fellowship at other times: this is my programme."</p> +<p>The speaker was again interrupted with hearty cheering.</p> +<p>"I intend to divide the corps into four companies, each of +thirty men. Each company will have an officer; and will, at times, +act independently of each other. I have deliberated whether it is +best to allow each company to choose its own officer, or whether to +nominate them myself. I have determined to adopt the latter course. +You can hardly be such good judges, as to the qualities required by +officers during an expedition like the present, as I am; and as I +know every man here, and as I shall have the opportunity of seeing +more of each man, during the three weeks which we shall spend here +upon drill, I shall then choose an officer for each company; but I +will leave it to each company to decide whether to accept my +choice, or not. There may be points in a man's character which may +make him unpopular.</p> +<p>"Now, as to drill. We have three weeks before us. Not long +enough to make men good soldiers; but amply sufficient--with hard +work--to make them good skirmishers. I have already arranged with +four men who have served as non-commissioned officers in the army, +one of whom will take each company.</p> +<p>"Captain Barclay--who is well known to most of you--has kindly +offered to give musketry instruction, for four hours each morning. +Ten men of each company will go, each morning for a week, to drill +at the range; so that, in three weeks, each man will have had a +week's instruction. The hours will be from seven to eleven. The +others will drill during the same hours.</p> +<p>"All will drill together, in the afternoon, from three to six. +The officer commanding the troops, here, has promised us the loan +of a hundred and twenty old guns, which are in store; and also of +twenty chassepots for rifle practice.</p> +<p>"That is all I have to say. All who are ready and willing to +enter, upon these terms, can now sign their names. Those who are +not perfectly sure of their own willingness can draw back, before +it is too late."</p> +<p>When the cheering ceased, each man came forward and signed his +name.</p> +<p>"The first parade will take place, at seven tomorrow morning, in +the Place d'Armes. A suit of uniform, complete, will be exhibited +here at twelve o'clock. A man has offered to supply them, at +contract prices; but any who prefer it can have it made by their +own tailor.</p> +<p>"Now, good night, boys."</p> +<p>"Vive les franc tireurs du Dijon!"</p> +<p>"Vive la France!" and, with a cheer, the men separated.</p> +<p>The next morning the corps met, and were divided into companies. +The division was alphabetical, and the young Barclays and Duburgs +were all in the first company. This was a matter of great pleasure +to them, as they had been afraid that they might have been +separated.</p> +<p>The following day, drill began in earnest and, accustomed as the +boys were to exercise, they found seven hours a day hard work of +it. Still, they felt it very much less than many of the young men +who, for years, had done little but lounge in cafes, or stroll at +the promenade. All, however, stuck to their work and, as their +hearts were in it, it was surprising how quickly they picked up the +rudiments of drill. Fortunately, they were not required to learn +anything beyond the management of their firearms, the simplest +movements, and the duty of skirmishers; as all complicated +maneuvers would have been useless, in a small corps whose duties +would be confined entirely to skirmishing.</p> +<p>With this branch of their work, Captain Tempe was determined +that they should be thoroughly acquainted, and they were taught how +to use cover of all kinds with advantage; how to defend a building, +crenelate a wall, fell trees to form an obstacle across roads, or a +breastwork in front of them; and how to throw themselves into +square, rapidly, to repel cavalry.</p> +<p>Captain Barclay was indefatigable as a musketry instructor and, +with the aid of a few friends, got up a subscription which was +spent in a number of small prizes, so as to give the men as much +interest as possible in their work. Captain Tempe impressed most +strenuously, upon the men, the extreme importance of proficiency in +shooting; as it was upon the accuracy and deadliness of their fire +that they would have to rely, to enable them to contend with +superior forces in the combats they would have to go through; and +each man would probably have frequently to depend, for his life, +upon the accuracy of his fire.</p> +<p>The original plan--of instructing a third of the men, each week, +in musketry--was abandoned; and the parties were changed each day, +in order to enable all to advance at an equal rate. Besides, their +ammunition was supplied; so that those who chose to do so could +practice shooting, for their own amusement, between their morning +and afternoon drill.</p> +<p>The Barclays were constant in their attendance at the shooting +ground; and the steady hand and eye which cricket, fencing, and +other exercises had given them now stood them in good stead for, by +the end of the time, they became as good marksmen as any in the +corps. They still lived at home, as did all those members of the +corps whose residences were in and around Dijon. For those who +lived too far away to come in and out every day to drill, a large +empty barn was taken, and fitted up as a temporary barracks.</p> +<p>The time did not pass away without great excitement for, as the +end of August drew on, everyone was watching, in deep anxiety, for +the news of a battle near Chalons--where MacMahon had been +organizing a fresh army. Then came the news that the camp at +Chalons was broken up, and that MacMahon was marching to the relief +of Bazaine. Two or three days of anxious expectation followed; and +then--on the 3rd of September--came the news, through Switzerland, +of the utter defeat and surrender of the French army, at Sedan.</p> +<p>At first, the news seemed too terrible to be true. People seemed +stunned at the thought of a hundred thousand Frenchmen laying down +their arms. Two days later came the news of the revolution in +Paris. This excited various emotions among the people; but the +prevailing idea seemed to be that--now there was a republic--past +disasters would be retrieved.</p> +<p>"What do you think of the news, papa?" the boys asked as, drill +over, they hurried up to talk the matter over with their +father.</p> +<p>"With any other people, I should consider it to be the most +unfortunate event which could have possibly occurred," Captain +Barclay said. "A change of Government--involving a change of +officials throughout all the departments, and a perfect upset of +the whole machinery of organization--appears little short of +insanity. At the same time, it is possible that it may arouse such +a burst of national enthusiasm that the resistance which, as far as +the civil population is concerned, has as yet been contemptible--in +fact, has not been attempted at all--may become of so obstinate and +desperate a character that the Prussians may be fairly wearied +out.</p> +<p>"There is scarcely any hope of future victories in the field. +Raw levies, however plucky, can be no match for such troops as the +Prussians, in the open. The only hope is in masses of franc tireurs +upon the rear and flanks of the enemy. Every bridge, every wood, +every village should be defended to the death. In this way the +Prussians would only hold the ground they stand on; and it would be +absolutely impossible for them to feed their immense armies, or to +bring up their siege materiel against Paris.</p> +<p>"The spirit to do this may possibly be excited by the +revolution; otherwise, France is lost. Success alone can excuse it; +for a more senseless, more unjustifiable, more shameful revolution +was, in my mind, never made. It has been effected purely by the +Radicals and roughs of Paris--the men who have, for years, been +advocating a war with Prussia; and who, a month ago, were screaming +'To Berlin.' For these men to turn round upon the Emperor in his +misfortune and, without consulting the rest of France, to effect a +revolution, is in my mind simply infamous.</p> +<p>"Even regarded as a matter of policy, it is bad in the extreme. +Austria, Italy, and Russia--to say nothing of England--would, +sooner or later, have interfered in favor of an established empire; +but their sympathies will be chilled by this revolution. The +democratic party in all these countries may exult, but the extreme +democratic party do not hold the reins of power anywhere; and their +monarchs will certainly not feel called upon to assist to establish +a republic.</p> +<p>"Prussia herself--intensely aristocratic in her +institutions--will probably refuse to treat, altogether, with the +schemers who have seized the power; for the King of Prussia is +perhaps the greatest hater of democracy in Europe.</p> +<p>"Still, boys, these changes make no difference in your duty. You +are fighting for France, not for an empire or a republic and, as +long as France resists, it is your duty to continue. In fact, it is +now more than ever the duty of you, and of every Frenchman, to +fight. Her army is entirely gone; and it is simply upon the pluck +and energy of her population that she has to trust."</p> +<p>"Do you think Paris will hold out, papa?"</p> +<p>"She is sure to do so, boys. She has made the revolution, and +she is bound to defend it. I know Paris well. The fortifications +are far too strong to be taken by a sudden attack, and it will be a +long time before the Prussians can bring up a siege train. Paris +will only be starved out and, if her people are only half as brave +as they are turbulent, they ought to render it impossible for the +Prussians to blockade such an immense circle. At any rate, France +has two months; perhaps much longer, but two months ought to be +quite enough, if her people have but spirit to surround the enemy, +to cut off his supplies, and to force him to retreat."</p> +<p>The next morning, when the corps assembled for drill, Captain +Tempe addressed them on the subject of the events in Paris. He told +them that, whether they approved or disapproved of what had taken +place there, their duty as Frenchmen was plain. For the present +they were not politicians, but patriots; and he hoped that not a +word of politics would be spoken in the corps, but that everyone +would give his whole thought, his whole strength and, if must be, +his life in the cause of France.</p> +<p>His address was greatly applauded, and gave immense satisfaction +to the men; for already differences of opinion were becoming +manifest among them. Some had exulted loudly at the downfall of +Napoleon; others had said little, but their gloomy looks had +testified sufficiently what were their opinions; while many among +the gentlemen in the corps, especially those belonging to old +families, were well known to be attached either to a Legitimist or +Orleanist Prince. The proposal, therefore, that no politics should +be discussed during the war, but that all should remember only that +they were fighting for France, gave great satisfaction; and +promised a continuance of the good fellowship which had hitherto +reigned in the corps.</p> +<p>It was a great day when, a fortnight from its first +organization, the corps turned out for the first time in their +uniforms. The band of the national guard headed them, as they +marched down the high street of Dijon to the parade ground; and--as +the spectators cheered, the ladies waved their handkerchiefs, and +the whole corps joined in cheers, to the stirring notes of the +Marseillaise--the young Barclays felt their cheeks flush, their +hands tighten upon their rifles, and their hearts beat with a +fierce longing to be face to face with the hated Prussians.</p> +<p>A day or two after this, the Snider rifles ordered from England +by Captain Barclay arrived; and although the men at first preferred +the chassepots, with which they were familiar, they were soon +accustomed to the new weapons; and readily acknowledged the +advantage which--as their commander pointed out to them--the +dark-brown barrels possessed, for skirmishers, over the bright +barrels of the chassepots which, with the sun shining upon them, +would betray them to an enemy miles away.</p> +<p>A day or two afterwards, as Ralph and Percy were returning in +the evening from drill, they heard a great tumult in the streets. +They hurried forward to see what was the matter, and found an +excited crowd shouting and gesticulating.</p> +<p>"Death to the spy!"</p> +<p>"Death to the spy!"</p> +<p>"Hang him!"</p> +<p>"Kill the dog!" were the shouts, and two gendarmes in the center of +the crowd were vainly trying to protect a man who was walking between +them. He was a tall, powerful-looking man; but it was impossible to +see what he was like, for the blood was streaming down his forehead, +from a blow he had just received.</p> +<p>Just as the boys came up, another blow from a stick fell on his +head; and this served to rouse him to desperation, for he turned +round, with one blow knocked down the fellow who had struck him, +and then commenced a furious attack upon his persecutors. For a +moment they drew back, and then closed upon him again. Blows from +sticks and hands rained upon him, but he struggled desperately. At +last, overwhelmed by numbers, he fell; and as he did so he raised a +wild shout, "Hurroo for ould Ireland."</p> +<p>"He is an Englishman, Percy," Ralph exclaimed; "he is not a +Prussian, at all. Come on!</p> +<p>"Here, Louis, Philippe, help; they are killing an +Englishman."</p> +<p>Followed by their cousins--who had just arrived at the spot--the +boys made a rush through the crowd; and arrived in another moment +by the prostrate man, whom his assailants were kicking savagely. +The rush of the four boys--aided by the butt-end of their rifles, +which they used freely on the ribs of those who stood in their +way--cleared off the assailants for an instant; and the two +gendarmes--who had been hustled away--drawing their swords, again +took their place by the side of their insensible prisoner.</p> +<p>The mob had only recoiled for a moment; and now, furious at +being baulked of their expected prey, prepared to rush upon his +defenders; shouting, as they did so:</p> +<p>"Death to the spy!"</p> +<p>The moment's delay had, however, given time to the boys to fix +bayonets.</p> +<a id="PicA" name="PicA"></a><center><img src="images/a.jpg" alt= +"Illustration: Rescue of a Supposed Spy." /></center> +<p>"Keep off," Ralph shouted, "or we run you through! The man is +not a spy, I tell you. He is an Englishman."</p> +<p>The noise was too great for the words to be heard and, with +cries of "Death to the spy!" the men in front prepared for a rush. +The leveled bayonets and drawn swords, however, for a moment +checked their ardor; but those behind kept up the cry, and a +serious conflict would have ensued, had not a party of five or six +of the franc tireurs come along at the moment.</p> +<p>These--seeing their comrades standing with leveled bayonets, +keeping the mob at bay--without asking any questions, at once burst +their way through to their side; distributing blows right and left, +heartily, with the butt-end of their rifles. This reinforcement put +an end to the threatened conflict; and the gendarmes, aided by two +of the franc tireurs, lifted the insensible man and carried him to +the Maine; the rest of the franc tireurs marching on either side as +a guard, and the yelling crowd following them.</p> +<p>Once inside the Maine the gates were shut and--the supposed spy +being laid down on the bench--cold water was dashed in his face; +and in a few minutes he opened his eyes.</p> +<p>"The murdering villains!" he muttered to himself. "They've kilt +me entirely, bad luck to them! A hundred to one, the cowardly +blackguards!</p> +<p>"Where am I?" and he made an effort to rise.</p> +<p>"You're all right," Ralph said. "You're with friends. Don't be +afraid, you're safe now."</p> +<p>"Jabers!" exclaimed the Irishman in astonishment, sitting up and +looking round him, "here's a little French soldier, speaking as +illegant English as I do, meself."</p> +<p>"I'm English," laughed Ralph, "and lucky it was for you that we +came along. We heard you call out, just as you fell; and got in in +time, with the help of our friends, to save your life. Another +minute or two, and we should have been too late."</p> +<p>"God bless your honor!" the man--who had now thoroughly +recovered himself--said earnestly. "And it was a tight shave, +entirely. You've saved Tim Doyle's life; and your honor shall see +that he's not ungrateful. Whenever you want a lad with a strong arm +and a thick stick, Tim's the boy."</p> +<p>"Thank you, Tim," Ralph said, heartily. "Now you had better let +the surgeon look at your head. You have got some nasty cuts."</p> +<p>"Sure, and my head's all right, your honor It isn't a tap from a +Frenchman that would break the skull of Tim Doyle."</p> +<p>The gendarmes now intimated that, as the prisoner was restored, +he must go in at once before the Maire. The young Barclays +accompanied him, and acted as interpreters at the examination. The +story was a simple one, and the passport and other papers upon the +Irishman proved its truth conclusively.</p> +<p>Tim was an Irishman, who had come out as groom with an English +gentleman. His master had fallen ill at Lyons, had parted with his +horses and carriage, and returned to England. Tim had accepted the +offer of the horse dealer who had purchased the horses to remain in +his service, and had been with him six months when the war broke +out. He had picked up a little French, but had been several times +arrested in Lyons, as a spy; and his master had at last told him +that it was not safe for him to remain, and that he had better +return to England.</p> +<p>He had reached Dijon on that morning; but the train, instead of +going on, had been stopped, as large numbers of Mobiles were +leaving for Paris, and the ordinary traffic was suspended. Tim had +therefore passed the day strolling about Dijon. The hour had +approached at which he had been told that a train might leave, and +Tim had asked a passer by the way to the station.</p> +<p>His broken French at once aroused suspicion. A crowd collected +in a few minutes; and Tim was, in the first place, saved from being +attacked by the arrival of two gendarmes upon the scene. He had at +once told them that he was English, and had produced his passport; +and they had decided upon taking him to the Maire, for the +examination of his papers--but on the way the crowd, increased by +fresh arrivals, had determined to take the law into their own +hands; and only the arrival of the young Barclays, and their +cousins, had saved his life.</p> +<p>The Maire saw at once, upon examination of the papers, that the +story was correct; and pronounced that Tim was at liberty to go +where he pleased. The poor fellow, however--though he made light of +his wounds and bruises--was much shaken; and it would, moreover, +have been dangerous for him to venture again into the streets of +Dijon. Ralph therefore at once offered to take him out, and to give +him a night's shelter; an offer which the Irishman accepted, with +many thanks.</p> +<p>It was now getting dark and, accompanied by their cousins, the +Barclays were let out with Tim Doyle from a back entrance to the +Maine; and made their way unnoticed through the town; and arrived, +half an hour later, at home. Captain and Mrs. Barclay, upon hearing +the story, cordially approved of what the boys had done; and +Captain Barclay having--in spite of Tim's earnest remonstrance that +it was of no consequence in the world--put some wet rags upon the +most serious of the wounds, bandaged up his head, and sent him at +once to bed.</p> +<p>In the morning, when the lads started for drill, the Irishman +was still in bed; but when they returned to dinner, they found him +working in the garden, as vigorously as if the events of the +previous day had been a mere dream. When he saw them coming, he +stuck his spade into the ground and went forward to meet them.</p> +<p>"God bless your honors, but I'm glad to see you again; and to +thank you for saving my life, which them bastes had made up their +minds they were going to have. I ain't good at talking, your +honors; but if it's the last drop of my blood that would be of any +use to you, you'd be heartily welcome to it."</p> +<p>"I am very glad we arrived in time, Tim," Ralph said. "And it's +lucky for you that you shouted 'Hurrah for old Ireland!' as you +went down; for of course we had no idea you were a countryman and, +although we were disgusted at the brutality of that cowardly mob, +we could hardly have interfered between them and a German spy.</p> +<p>"What are you thinking of doing now? It will hardly be safe for +you to travel through France while this madness about spies lasts +for, with your broken French, you would be getting taken up +continually."</p> +<p>"I'm not thinking of it at all, your honor," the Irishman said. +"The master has been telling me that your honors are starting for +the war, and so I've made up my mind that I shall go along wid +ye."</p> +<p>The boys laughed.</p> +<p>"You are not in earnest, Tim?"</p> +<p>"As sure as the Gospels, your honor I've served five years in +the Cork Militia, and wore the badge as a marksman; and so I mean +to 'list, and go as your honors' sarvint."</p> +<p>"But you can't do that, Tim, even if we would let you," Ralph +laughed. "There won't be any servants at all."</p> +<p>"Sure, your honor is mistaken, entirely," Tim said, gravely. "In +the sarvice, a soldier is always told off as a sarvint for each +officer."</p> +<p>"But we are not going as officers, Tim," Percy said. "We are +going as simple soldiers."</p> +<p>"What! Going as privates?" Tim Doyle said, in astonishment. +"Does your honor mane to say that you are going to shoulder a +firelock, and just go as privates?"</p> +<p>"That's it, Tim. You see, this is not a regular regiment; it is +a corps of irregulars, and more than half the privates are +gentlemen."</p> +<p>"Holy Mother!" ejaculated Tim, in astonishment, "did one ever +hear of the like?"</p> +<p>Then, after a pause:</p> +<p>"Then your honor will want a sarvint more than iver. Who is to +clean your boots, and to pipeclay your belts; to wash your linen, +to clean your firelock, and cook your dinners, and pitch your tent, +if you don't have a sarvint? The thing's against nature, +entirely."</p> +<p>"We shall do it all ourselves, Tim--that is to say, as far as +cleaning the rifles, washing our linen, and cooking the dinner. As +for the other things, I don't suppose we shall ever have our boots +cleaned; we have no white belts to pipeclay, for they are made of +buff leather; and we shall not have to pitch tents, for we don't +take them with us, but shall, when necessary, sleep in the open +air."</p> +<p>Tim was too surprised to speak, for a time. At last, he said +doggedly:</p> +<p>"Sarvint or no sarvint, your honor, it is evident that it's +rough times you're going to have; and Tim Doyle will be there with +you, as sure as the piper."</p> +<p>"We should like you with us very much, Tim, if you make up your +mind to go," Ralph said; "but the corps is quite full. We have +refused dozens of recruits."</p> +<p>Tim looked downcast. At last he said:</p> +<p>"Well, your honor, it may be that they won't have me as a +soldier; but I'll go sure enough, if I die for it. There's no law +to punish a man for walking after a regiment of soldiers and, +wherever your regiment goes, sure enough I'll tramp after ye. +There's many an odd way I might make myself useful, and they'll +soon get used to see me about, and let me come and go into the +camp."</p> +<p>No persuasion could alter Tim's determination and, as they felt +that having so attached a fellow near them might be of real +utility, and comfort, when the boys went down in the afternoon they +spoke to Captain Tempe about it. At first he said that it was +impossible, as he had already refused so many offers of service; +but upon hearing all the story, and thinking the matter over, he +said suddenly:</p> +<p>"By the bye, there is a way by which he might go with us. You +know I have ordered a light two-wheel cart, built very strong for +the mountains, to carry our spare ammunition, powder for blowing up +bridges, cooking pots, and stores. I have not engaged a driver as +yet. If your Irishman--who you say understands horses--likes to go +as a driver, to begin with, I will promise him the first vacant +rifle. I fear that he will not have long to wait, after we once get +near the enemy; and as he has already served, you say, he will be +better than a new recruit, and we can get a countryman to take his +place with the cart."</p> +<p>Upon their return in the evening with the news, Tim Doyle's joy +knew no bound; and he whooped and shouted, till Milly laughed so +that she had to beg of him to stop.</p> +<p>The next day, Tim went down with Captain Barclay and signed the +engagement. He remained with the captain during the time that the +latter was giving his instructions in musketry--entering upon his +duties in connection with the corps by going down to the butts, and +acting as marker--and then returned with him to the cottage; as it +was agreed that he had better remain there, quietly, until the +corps was ready to march--as, if he were to venture alone in the +town, he might at any time be subject to a repetition of the attack +upon the day of his arrival.</p> +<p>At the cottage he soon became a general favorite His desire to +make himself useful in any way, his fund of fun and good temper, +pleased everyone. Even Marie and Jeannette--the two servants, who +could not understand a word of what he said--were in a constant +broad grin, at the pantomime by which he endeavored to eke out his +few words of French. Milly became quite attached to him; and +Captain and Mrs. Barclay both felt cheered, and comforted, at the +thought that this devoted fellow would be at hand to look after and +assist the boys, in time of danger, suffering, or sickness.</p> +<h2><a name="Ch4" id="Ch4">Chapter 4</a>: Starting For The Vosges.</h2> +<p>The day for the departure of the corps was near at hand. The +party at the Barclays were all filled with sadness, at the thoughts +of separation; but all strove to hide their feelings, for the sake +of the others. Captain and Mrs. Barclay were anxious that the boys +should leave in good spirits, and high hope; while the boys wished +to keep up an appearance of merely going upon an ordinary +excursion, in order to cheer their parents.</p> +<p>The day before starting, the whole corps marched to the +cathedral; where mass was celebrated, a sermon preached, and a +blessing solemnly prayed for for them. The boys had asked their +father if he had any objections to their taking part in this +ceremonial, in a Roman Catholic Church; but Captain Barclay had at +once said that, upon the contrary, he should wish them to do so. +Protestants might not approve of many things in the Catholic +Church; but that could be no reason, whatever, against a Protestant +taking part in a solemn prayer to God, wherever that prayer might +be offered up.</p> +<p>The young Duburgs were unaffectedly glad that the time for their +departure had come, for the month that had passed had been a most +unpleasant one to them. Their mother had in vain tried to persuade +them to stay; first by entreaty, and then by anger and, finding +these means fail, she had passed her time either in sullen silence, +or in remaining in bed; declaring that her nerves were utterly +shattered, and that she should never survive it. She had refused to +see Mrs. Barclay when the latter called, a day or two after their +visit to the cottage, and she had not been near her since. Julie +and Justine were forbidden to go in to see Milly and, altogether, +there was quite an estrangement between the two families.</p> +<p>The boys however were, of course, constantly together; and +Monsieur Duburg came in as usual, every day or two, for a chat with +Captain Barclay.</p> +<p>September the fifteenth--the day of separation--arrived. They +were to march at eight in the morning; and left home, therefore, at +seven. This was so far fortunate that it left less time for the +painful adieus. Captain Barclay had a long talk with the boys the +night before, repeating all the hints and instructions which he had +before given them.</p> +<p>It is not necessary to describe the parting. Every one of my +readers can imagine for themselves how sad was the scene. How Milly +sobbed aloud, in spite of her efforts; how Mrs. Barclay kissed her +boys, and then ran up to her own room to cry alone; how their +father wrung their hands and, after giving them his blessing, +turned hastily away, that they might not see the tears which he +could not keep back; and how the boys, in spite of their uniform +and their dignity as soldiers, cried, too. Tim Doyle had gone on an +hour before, taking their blankets; so they had nothing to do but +to snatch up their guns and hasten away, half blinded with tears, +towards the town. They reached it just as the bugle sounded the +assembly. By this time they had steadied themselves and, in the +work of preparing for the start, soon lost all feeling of +despondency.</p> +<p>It would be difficult to find a more workmanlike little corps +than the franc tireurs of Dijon as, with the band of the national +guard at their head, playing the Marseillaise, they marched through +the old city. Their uniform was a brownish gray Their +blankets--rolled up tight and carried, like a scarf, over one +shoulder and under the other arm--were brown, also. Their belts and +gaiters were of buff leather. Their caps had flat peaks, to shade +their eyes; but round the cap was rolled a flap lined with fur, +which let down over the ears and back of the neck, tying under the +chin. On the outer side of the fur was thin India-rubber, to throw +the rain off down over the light waterproof cloaks; which each man +carried in a small case, slung to his belt. The waterproof on the +caps, when rolled up, did not show; the caps then looking like fur +caps, with a peak.</p> +<p>Slung over the shoulder, on the opposite side to the blanket, +was a haversack--or stout canvas bag--brown like the rest of the +equipments. Each bag was divided into two compartments; the larger +one holding a spare shirt, a few pairs of socks and handkerchiefs, +a comb, and other small necessaries. In the other, bread, biscuits +or other provisions could be carried. Each man had also a water +bottle, slung over his shoulder.</p> +<p>On either side of the ammunition pouch, behind, was strapped a +new boot; so placed that it in no way interfered with the bearer +getting at the pouch. Next was fastened the tin box; the lid of +which forms a plate, the bottom a saucepan or frying pan. On one +side hung the bayonet; upon the other a hatchet, a pick, or a +short-handled shovel--each company having ten of each +implement.</p> +<p>It will be judged that this was a heavy load, but the articles +were all necessaries; and the weight over and above the rifle and +ammunition was not--even including the pick or shovel--more than +half that ordinarily carried by a French soldier.</p> +<p>At the head of the corps marched its commandant. The French term +commandant answers to an English major, and he will therefore in +future be termed Major Tempe. Each of the four companies was also +headed by its officer. Major Tempe had chosen for these posts four +men who, like himself, had served--three in the army, and one in +the navy. He had written to them as soon as the corps was +organized, and they had arrived ten days before the start. One or +two only of the franc tireurs--who had entertained a hope of being +made officers--were at first a little discontented but, as it was +evidently vastly to the advantage of the corps to have experienced +officers, the appointments gave great satisfaction to the rest of +the men. Fortunately, there were in the ranks several men who had +served as privates or non-commissioned officers; and from these +Major Tempe selected a sergeant, and a corporal, for each +company.</p> +<p>Behind the corps followed the cart; loaded with the stores of +the corps, a considerable amount of ammunition, two or three cases +of gun cotton for blowing up bridges, several small barrels of +powder, a large quantity of fine iron wire, three or four crowbars, +bags of coffee and rice, and a keg of brandy, four kettles and as +many large saucepans, together with all sorts of odds and ends. By +the side of the horse walked Tim Doyle; dressed in the uniform of +the corps, but without the equipments, and with a long blouse worn +over his tunic. He was, in fact, already enrolled as an active +member of the corps. This was done, in the first place, at his own +earnest request; and upon the plea that thus only could he escape +the chance of being seized as a spy, whenever he might for a moment +be separated from the corps; and also that, unless he had a uniform +like the rest, how could he take any vacancy in the ranks, even +when it should occur?</p> +<p>Major Tempe, in exceeding the hundred and twenty determined +upon, was influenced partly by these arguments; but more by the +fact that difficulties would arise about food, cooking, and various +other points, if the driver were not upon the same footing as the +rest of the corps.</p> +<p>The march was not a long one--only to the railway station. A few +carriages, with a truck for the cart, and a horse box, were drawn +up alongside the platform in readiness; and in ten minutes more all +were in their places, the carriages attached to the ordinary train +and--amidst great cheering and waving of handkerchiefs and hats, +from hundreds of people collected in the station to see them +off--they started for the Vosges.</p> +<p>Railway traveling, at no time rapid, was extremely slow at this +period; and it was evening before they arrived at Epinal, where +they were to pass the night. The journey, shortened by innumerable +songs and choruses, had scarcely seemed long. The railway ran +throughout its whole distance through pretty, undulating country; +indeed, towards the end of their journey, when they were fairly +among the Vosges, the scenery became wild and savage. At Vesoul, +which was about halfway, the train had stopped for two hours; and +here wine, bread and cheese, cold sausages, and fruits were +distributed to the men by the inhabitants--who were assembled in +large numbers at the station, and gave the corps an enthusiastic +reception. They were the first band of franc tireurs who had passed +through, and the inhabitants regarded them as protectors against +the wandering Uhlans; whose fame, although as yet far off, had +caused them to be regarded with an almost superstitious fear.</p> +<p>At Epinal, a similar and even warmer greeting awaited them; +Epinal being so much nearer to the enemy that the fear of Uhlans +was more acute. The station was decorated with green boughs; and +the Maire, with many of the leading inhabitants, was at the station +to receive them. The corps formed upon the platform; and then +marched through the little town to the Hotel de Ville, loudly +cheered by the people as they passed along. Here they were +dismissed, with the order to parade again at half-past four in the +morning.</p> +<p>There was no trouble as to billets for the night, as the Maire +had already made out a list of the inhabitants who had offered +accommodation--the number being greatly in excess of the strength +of the corps. These persons now came forward, and each took off the +number of franc tireurs who had been allotted to them.</p> +<p>The sergeant of the first company, knowing the relationship and +friendship of the young Barclays and Duburgs, had promised them +that--when practicable--he would always quarter them together. Upon +the present occasion, the four were handed over to a gentleman +whose house was a short distance outside the town. Upon the way, he +chatted to them on the proposed course of the corps, upon its +organization and discipline; and they asked for the first time the +question which was so often, in future, to be upon their lips:</p> +<p>"Had he any news of the enemy?"</p> +<p>The answer was that none, as yet, had come south of Luneville; +and that indeed, at present they were too much occupied at Metz, +and Strasburg, to be able to detach any formidable parties. Small +bodies of Uhlans occasionally had made raids, and driven in sheep +and cattle; but they had not ventured to trust themselves very far +into the mountains.</p> +<p>Upon arriving at the residence of their host, they were most +kindly received by his wife and daughter; who, however, could not +refrain from expressing their surprise at the youthfulness of their +guests.</p> +<p>"But these are mere boys!" the lady said to her husband, in +German; "are all the franc tireurs like these?"</p> +<p>"Oh no," her husband said, in the same language, "the greater +part are sturdy fellows but, as they marched by, I observed some +twelve or fourteen who were scarcely out of their boyhood.</p> +<p>"It is cruelty to send such youngsters out as these. What can +they do against these Prussians, who have beaten our best +soldiers?"</p> +<p>"Fortunately," Ralph said in German--which he spoke fluently, as +has already been stated--and with a merry laugh--which showed that +he was not offended at the remark--"fortunately, fighting now is +not an affair of spears and battle axes Age has nothing to do with +shooting; and as for fatigue, we shall not be the first in the +corps to give up."</p> +<p>"I must really apologize very much, but I had no idea that you +understood German, or I should not have made any remarks," the lady +said, smiling; "but so few French boys, out of Alsace, do +understand it that it never struck me that you spoke the language. +You will find it an immense advantage for, outside the towns, you +will scarcely meet a person understanding French. But I am sure you +must be all very hungry, and supper is quite ready."</p> +<p>They were soon seated at a well-spread table--waited upon by the +daughter of the family--while their host and hostess sat and +chatted with them, as to their corps, while the meal went on.</p> +<p>"Excuse another remark upon your personal appearance," the lady +said, smiling, "but two of you look more like Alsatians than +French. You have the fair complexion and brown, wavy hair. You do +not look like Frenchmen."</p> +<p>"Nor are we," Ralph laughed. "My brother and myself, although +French born, are actually English. Our father is an English +officer, but our mother is French and, as you see, we take after +him rather than her."</p> +<p>"But I wonder that, as your father is English, he lets you go +out upon this expedition--which is very perilous."</p> +<p>"We wished to go--that is, we thought it was our duty," Ralph +said; "and although they were very sad at our leaving, they both +agreed with us."</p> +<p>"I wish all Frenchmen were animated by the same feeling," their +host said warmly. "Your gallant example should shame hundreds of +thousands of loiterers and skulkers.</p> +<p>"You speak French perfectly. I should have had no idea that you +were anything but French--or rather, from the way you speak German, +that you were Alsatian."</p> +<p>"We have lived in France all our lives, except for two years +which we passed in Germany; and two years at one time, together +with one or two shorter visits, in England."</p> +<p>"And do you speak English as well as French?"</p> +<p>"Oh yes, we always speak English at home. Our father made a rule +that we should always do so; as he said it would be an immense +disadvantage to us, when we returned to England, if we had the +slightest French accent. Our mother now speaks English as purely +and correctly as our father."</p> +<p>"Are your friends any relations of yours?"</p> +<p>"They are our cousins," Ralph said; "their father is our +mother's brother."</p> +<p>For some time longer they chatted, and then their host said:</p> +<p>"It is half-past nine; and we are early people, here. You will +have to be up by five, so I think that it is time you were off to +bed. We shall scarcely be up when you start; but you will find a +spirit lamp on the table, with coffee--which only requires +heating--together with some bread and butter. You will have some +miles to march before you breakfast.</p> +<p>"And now, you must all promise me that, if you come to this place +again, you will come straight up here, and look upon it as your +home. If you get ill or wounded--which I hope will not happen--you +will, of course, go home; but something may occur not sufficiently +important for you to leave the corps, but which could be set +straight by a few days' nursing, and rest. In that case, you will +come to us, will you not?"</p> +<p>The boys all gratefully promised to avail themselves of the +invitation, in case of need; and then said good night and goodbye +to their host, and went off to the room prepared for them. In the +morning they were up in good time, dressed as quietly as they +could--so as not to disturb their host--and went downstairs; lit +the spirit lamp under a glass bowl full of coffee and milk and, in +ten minutes, were on their way towards the town.</p> +<p>"We shall be lucky if we are often as comfortable as that," +Percy said, looking back; and there was a general assent.</p> +<p>"There goes the bugle," Louis Duburg said; "we have a quarter of +an hour, yet.</p> +<p>"What pretty girls those were!"</p> +<p>Louis was nearly seventeen and, at seventeen, a French lad +considers himself a competent judge as to the appearance and +manners of young ladies.</p> +<p>"Were they?" Percy said carelessly, with the indifference of an +English boy of his age as to girls. "I did not notice it. I don't +care for girls; they are always thinking about their dress, and one +is afraid of touching them, in case you should spoil something. +There is nothing jolly about them."</p> +<p>The others laughed.</p> +<p>"I am sure Milly is jolly enough," Philippe Duburg said.</p> +<p>"Yes, Milly is jolly," Percy answered. "You see, she has been +with us boys, and she can play, and doesn't screech if you touch +her, or mind a bit if she tears her frock. So are our cousins in +England--some of them. Yes, there are some jolly girls, of course; +still, after all, what's the good of them, taking them altogether? +They are very nice in their way--quiet and well behaved, and so +on--but they are better indoors than out."</p> +<p>The clock was just striking half-past five, as the boys reached +the place of assembly. Most of the men were already upon the spot, +and the bugler was blowing lustily. In another five minutes all +were assembled; including Tim Doyle, with his horse and cart.</p> +<p>"Good-morning, Tim," the boys said, as they came up to him. "I +hope you had as comfortable quarters as we had, last night."</p> +<p>"Splendid, your honor--downright splendid; a supper fit for a +lord, and a bed big enough for a duchess."</p> +<p>The boys laughed at the idea of a duchess wanting a bed bigger +than anyone else, and Tim went on:</p> +<p>"Ah, your honor, if campaigning was all like this, sure I'd +campaign all my life, and thank you; but it's many a time I shall +look back upon my big supper, and big bed. Not that I should like +it altogether entirely; I should get so fat, and so lazy, that I +shouldn't know my own shadow."</p> +<p>And now the bugle sounded again, and the men fell in. As they +started, they struck up a lively marching song; and several windows +opened, and adieus were waved to them as they passed down the +street into the open country. Everyone was in high spirits. The +weather, which had for some time been unfavorable, had cleared up; +the sun was rising brightly, and they felt that they had fairly +started for work. The road was rough, the country wild and +mountainous, thick forests extended in every direction, as far as +the eye could carry.</p> +<p>"There is one comfort, Percy," Ralph said, "if we are beaten and +driven back, we might get into this forest, and laugh at the +Prussians."</p> +<p>Percy cast rather a doubtful eye at the dark woods.</p> +<p>"The Prussians might not be able to discover us, Ralph; but I +would as leave be killed by Prussian balls as die of hunger, and +our chances of getting food there, for a hundred men, would be very +slight."</p> +<p>"They don't look hospitable, certainly, Percy. I agree with you. +We had better keep in the open country, as long as possible."</p> +<p>The first village at which they arrived was Deyvilliers. Here a +halt was called for ten minutes, five miles having already been +marched. Many of the men--less fortunate than the Barclays and +Duburgs--had had nothing to eat upon starting and, when the arms +were piled, there was a general dispersal through the village, in +search of provisions. Bread had been bought over night, at Epinal, +and brought on in the cart; which was fortunate, for the village +was a very small one, and there would have been a difficulty in +obtaining more than a loaf or two. Cheese and fruit were in +abundance; and the boys bought some apples, and sat down by the +little feeder of the Moselle which passes through the village, and +watched it tumbling past on its way to join the main stream, a few +miles below Epinal.</p> +<p>In a quarter of an hour, they were again on the march. In +another five miles they reached Fontaine, lying a little off the +road to their right. They had now marched ten miles, and Major +Tempe ordered a halt for three hours. A piece of level ground was +chosen, arms were piled, blankets and haversacks taken off, and +then preparations began for their first meal. Men were sent off +with kettles, for water. Others went up to the village with cans +for wine--or beer for, in Alsace, beer is more common than wine. +Tim took the horse out of the shafts, and gave him some oats. Some +of the men were sent from each company to fetch wood, and the old +soldiers prepared for the important operation of cooking.</p> +<p>Several little fireplaces were made, with stones and turf, open +on the side facing the wind. In these sticks were placed and, when +they were fairly alight, the saucepans--each holding the allowance +of ten men--were placed on them. In these the meat--cut up in +pieces of about half a pound--was placed; with pepper, salt, +onions, rice, and potatoes peeled and cut up, and the whole filled +up with water.</p> +<p>When the preparations were finished, the men threw themselves +down under the shade of some trees; and smoked and chatted until, +in about an hour, the cooking was complete. Each man then brought +up his tin canteen, and received his portion of soup in the deep +side, and his meat and vegetables in the shallow can. The bread had +already been cut up. The tin drinking pots which, with knives, +forks, and spoons, were carried in the canteens, were filled with +beer and, with much laughing and fun, each man sat down on the +grass, or scattered rocks, to eat his breakfast.</p> +<p>Many of the villagers had come down; and these brought, for the +most part, little presents: a few apples, a little fresh cheese, or +a bunch of grapes. It was a merry meal, and the boys agreed that it +was the jolliest picnic that they had ever been at.</p> +<p>At two o'clock the bugle sounded. The cooking things were packed +up and placed in the cart again; the blankets and haversacks slung +on, and the rifles shouldered and, with many a good wish from the +peasants, they marched forward again.</p> +<p>Eight miles further marching brought them to the end of their +day's journey, the village of Destord. It was a tiny place, with +scarcely over a half-dozen houses. Major Tempe in consequence +determined, as the weather was fine, upon bivouacking in the open +air. For a time, all were busy collecting wood. A sheltered place +was chosen, for the village lay very high, close to the source of a +little stream running into the river Mortagne.</p> +<p>The cooking places were again prepared for supper. At seven +o'clock the meal was served, differing but little from that of the +morning; except that after the men had eaten the soup, and the meat +from it (in France called bouilli), they fried some thin slices of +meat in the lids of their canteens, and concluded the meal with a +cup of coffee.</p> +<p>Then four large fires were lit--one for each company--and a +smaller one for the officers. Blankets were spread out on the +ground round these fires, and the men lit their pipes and chatted +gaily. All were more or less tired for, although their month's hard +drill had accustomed them to work, eighteen miles with arms, +ammunition, and accouterments had tired them more than they had +anticipated.</p> +<p>As this was their first night out, Major Tempe told them that he +should not place a regular cordon of sentries; but that in future +he should do so, whether they were near the enemy or not. By nine +o'clock the fires began to burn low, the talking gradually ceased, +and the men--rolling themselves up in their blankets, and putting +their haversacks under their heads, for pillows--soon dropped off +to sleep; a solitary sentry keeping guard against pilferers.</p> +<p>A short march of ten miles took them, next day, to +Rambervillers, where they were billeted among the inhabitants; and +fourteen miles on the day after to Baccarat, on the river Meurthe, +where they also obtained quarters. They were now approaching the +neighborhood of the enemy, and Major Tempe advised a halt for the +next day; in order that he might make inquiries, and investigate +thoroughly the best route to be pursued.</p> +<h2><a name="Ch5" id="Ch5">Chapter 5</a>: The First Engagement.</h2> +<p>The news which the commandant of the franc tireurs heard, at +Baccarat, determined him to change his intentions; and to push on +without delay to Halloville--a tiny hamlet on the lower spurs of +the Vosges, some four miles from Blamont; and overlooking the +valley of the Vexouse, in which the latter town was situated.</p> +<p>It was a long march, and the weather had again changed, the rain +descending all day in a steady pour. The men--in their light, +waterproof cloaks, and the flaps of their forage caps down--plodded +steadily on; their spirit sustained by the thought that, ere +another twenty-four hours, they might be in action. The news which +hurried them forwards had been to the effect that a body of two +hundred Uhlans had left Sarrebourg, and were advancing towards +Blamont. They were going quietly, stopping to levy contributions at +the villages on the way. It was probable that they would enter +Blamont on the same evening that the franc tireurs reached +Halloville. It was supposed that they would proceed, with the sheep +and cattle that they had swept up, by the valley of the Vexouse to +Luneville.</p> +<p>To within four miles of Halloville, the road had been a fair +one; but it was here necessary to turn off, by a track that was +little better than a goat path. In vain, a dozen of the men were +told off to help with the cart; in vain they pushed behind, and +shoved at the spokes of the wheels. The road was altogether +impracticable. At last the horse and cart were taken aside into a +thick wood and left there; with Tim Doyle, a corporal, and six of +the men who were the most footsore, and incapable of pushing on. +Tim was dreadfully disgusted at being thus cut off from the chance +of seeing, and joining in, any fighting; and only consoled himself +with the hope that a vacancy would be likely to occur the next day, +and that he would then be able to exchange his whip for a +rifle.</p> +<p>The rest of the corps plodded on until, long after dusk, they +arrived at the half-dozen houses which form the village of +Halloville. Their appearance, as they marched up to it, was greeted +by a scream from a woman, followed by a perfect chorus of screams +and cries. Men, women, and children were seen rushing out of the +houses, and taking to flight; and it was with the greatest +difficulty that they were made to understand the truth, that the +formidable body, which had so suddenly dropped upon them, was not +composed of the dreaded invaders.</p> +<p>When the truth was known, they did their best to receive them +hospitably. Their means, however, were small; their houses equally +so. However, in a short time blazing fires were lighted on the +hearths; blankets having been put up before the windows, to prevent +any light being visible from the valley. A fire was allotted for +the cooking of each company, and preparations for supper were soon +commenced. Then an examination was made of the facilities in the +way of sleeping; and two barns were found, well provided with +straw. This was shaken out and, after eating their suppers, the men +packed close together upon the straw, and soon forgot both damp and +fatigue; numerous sentries being thrown out, in various directions, +to prevent the possibility of surprise--for the peasants had +informed them that the information which they had received was +correct; and that the Uhlans, about two hundred strong, had entered +Blamont that afternoon, and had laid a requisition of twenty +thousand francs upon the inhabitants, besides a considerable amount +of stores of all sorts.</p> +<p>At three o'clock they were roused and found, to their great +pleasure, that the rain had ceased. Guided by one of the villagers, +they made their way down to a point where the wood approached quite +close to the road, at a narrow point of the valley. Here Major +Tempe posted his men along in the wood. Several coils of wire had +been brought with them; and these were now stretched tightly from +tree to tree, at a distance of about eighteen inches from the +ground. Some forty yards farther back, young trees were felled and +branches cut; and these were laid with the bushy parts towards the +road, wires being twisted here and there among them, so as to form +abattis perfectly impenetrable for horsemen, and difficult in the +extreme for infantry. All worked hard and, by eight o'clock in the +morning, everything was in readiness.</p> +<p>A small party had been left upon the high ground near +Halloville, and one of them had brought down news every half hour. +Soon after daybreak, a party of Uhlans had been seen to leave +Blamont, and to visit Barbas and Harboise--two villages in the flat +of Blamont--and then to retire, driving some cattle and sheep +before them. At ten o'clock the rest of the men from Halloville +came down, with the news that the Uhlans--about two hundred +strong--had just left Blamont, and were coming down the valley.</p> +<p>Each man now took the station allotted to him: thirty men behind +the trees, next to the road; the main body being stationed behind +the abattis, each man having previously settled upon a spot where +he could fire through the leaves, which entirely concealed them +from view from the road. Number one company was placed to the right +and, consequently, near to Blamont. Ralph and Percy were both in +the front line, behind the trees.</p> +<p>Not a shot was to be fired, on any consideration, until Major +Tempe gave the word. The men behind the trees were all ordered to +lie down among the low undergrowth and brushwood. The line extended +nearly a hundred yards. The waterproofs, blankets, and all other +impediments had been left behind at Halloville, so that the men had +the free use of their arms. The rifles were loaded, the pouches +shifted round so as to be ready at hand and--orders having been +given that not a word should be spoken, even in a whisper--a +perfect silence reigned over the spot.</p> +<p>Ralph and Percy were near to each other. They had exchanged a +hearty grip of the hand, before lying down; and now lay, with +beating hearts and hands firmly grasping their rifles, in readiness +for the signal.</p> +<p>The time was not very long--only a few minutes--but it seemed to +them an age before they heard the tramp of horses. Nearer and +nearer they came, and now they could hear the jingling of +accouterments First, through their leafy screen, they could see two +Uhlans pass at a walk; scanning keenly the woods, and looking for +possible danger. The bushes were thick, and they noticed nothing, +and kept on at the same pace. It is probable, indeed, that they +really anticipated no possibility of an attack, as the Dijon franc +tireurs were the first who appeared upon the scene of action; and +the Prussians were, consequently, in entire ignorance of the +vicinity of any armed body of the enemy and, at worst, apprehended +a stray shot from a straggler from one of the French armies, hidden +in the woods.</p> +<p>In another minute or two four more Uhlans passed; and after the +same interval came the main body, escorting a number of cattle and +sheep. The greater portion had passed the spot where the boys were +lying, and were opposite the whole line of franc tireurs, when the +silence of the wood was broken by Major Tempe's shout:</p> +<p>"Now!"</p> +<p>Before the Uhlans had time to rein in their horses, or to ask +each other what was the meaning of the cry, the flash of thirty +rifles broke from the trees, and several men fell from their +horses. There was a momentary panic, followed by a hurried +discharge of carbines at the invisible foe.</p> +<p>The captain of the Uhlans--a handsome young officer, with light +mustache and beard--shouted to his men:</p> +<p>"Steady, they are only a handful. Form line, charge!"</p> +<p>Quickly as the maneuver was executed, the franc tireurs had time +to fire again; and then--in accordance with their +orders--retreated, and joined their comrades by passages left in +the abattis, on purpose. In another instant the Uhlans charged but, +as quickly, the direst confusion reigned, where before had been a +regular line. The wire had served its purpose. Horses and men went +down on the top of each other, and thirty rifles again fumed their +deadly hail into the confused mass.</p> +<p>The second line of Uhlans--who had not charged--returned the +fire of their invisible enemies and, although they could not see +them, several of the balls took effect. Nothing could be cooler +than the officers of the Uhlans, and their voice and example +steadied their men. Under cover of the fire of their comrades the +men, in part, extricated themselves and their horses, and drew back +behind the wood. Orders were then given for all to dismount and, +leaving their horses to be held by parties of their comrades--four +horses to one man--the rest advanced on foot against their +apparently greatly inferior foe, keeping up a heavy fire with their +carbines. This was what the commandant of the franc tireurs had +hoped for, and expected.</p> +<p>The wire had been broken down by the weight of the horses; and +the Prussians advanced, opposed only by a feeble return to their +heavy fire, until within five paces of the leafy wall. Then the +fire from a hundred rifles flashed out upon them.</p> +<p>The effect was terrible, and a cry of surprise and rage burst +from those who had escaped its effect. It was evident that they had +fallen into an ambush. The captain--wild with rage and +mortification, at the fault he had committed--rushed forward; and +his men gallantly seconded his efforts. In vain, however, did they +try to separate the interlaced boughs while, as they struggled, the +shots from the enemy flashed out thick and fast. In another moment +the young captain threw up his arms and fell, shot through the +heart. The officer next in command ordered a retreat, the horses +were regained and, amidst a continuous fire from the franc tireurs, +the diminished troop galloped back towards Blamont.</p> +<p>The franc tireurs now quitted their leafy fortress. A small +party was at once sent forward up the valley, to give notice if the +Uhlans showed any signs of returning. A strong body set to work to +drive in the scattered animals--which were galloping wildly about +the valley--while the rest collected the dead and wounded.</p> +<p>Of the franc tireurs eight were killed, fourteen wounded. Of the +Uhlans forty-seven were killed, and nineteen wounded remained on +the ground. Their large number of killed, in proportion to the +wounded, was accounted for by the fact that the firing was so close +that, in many cases, the coats of the dead men were actually singed +by the explosion; while the slightly wounded men had been able to +regain their horses, and escape.</p> +<p>The first impulse of the young Barclays, when the fire ceased, +was to turn round and to embrace each other with delight--on +finding that they had each escaped without a scratch--and then to +shake hands heartily with their cousins, whose fortune had been +equally good. There was no time for words, however; for Major +Tempe's order came, sharp and decisive:</p> +<p>"You the Barclays, you also the Duburgs, sling your arms, and go +assist to drive in the cattle. Quick, lose no time.</p> +<p>"You have done well. I am content with you, my boys."</p> +<p>With a flush of pleasure, the boys started off to carry out the +orders; which had been given, by their commander, with the kind +thought of sparing the lads the terrible sight of the battle +ground.</p> +<p>The short but desperate conflict through which they had passed +seemed, to the young Barclays, almost like a dream. In the +excitement of loading and firing, in the tumult and the rattle, +they had scarcely had time even to give a thought to the +danger.</p> +<p>Fear is seldom felt by the soldier when engaged in close +conflict. The time when his nerves are most tried is while waiting +inactive, at a distance, exposed to a heavy shell fire; or while +advancing to an attack, under a storm of musketry and artillery. In +a hand-to-hand conflict, he has no time to think. His nerves are +strung up to so high a pitch that he no longer thinks of danger, or +death. His whole thoughts are given to loading and firing.</p> +<p>Any thought that the boys had given to danger was not for +themselves, but for each other; and Ralph--though his own position +was unsheltered--had once or twice spoken, to Percy, to keep his +body better sheltered by the trees behind which he was +standing.</p> +<p>It was a long chase before the frightened animals were collected +together, and driven up towards the spot where the fight had taken +place. By the time that it was accomplished, the wounded had been +collected, and the surgeons had bandaged many of their wounds. A +qualified surgeon had accompanied the corps, as its regular doctor, +and two other young surgeons had enlisted in its ranks; and these, +their arms laid by, were now assisting to stanch the wounds and to +apply bandages. Of the franc tireurs, there were only four so +seriously wounded that they were unable to walk.</p> +<p>By that time two carts arrived from the village of Douteppe, +which stood in the valley, half a mile only from the scene of +action; and to which place Major Tempe had sent off a messenger +directly the affair had terminated. In one of these the wounded +were placed, while in the other were piled the arms and +accouterments of the fallen Uhlans. One of the young surgeons was +to accompany the wounded as far as Baccarat, where they were to +remain for treatment.</p> +<p>Twenty-three horses of the Uhlans had also been captured, by the +party who had driven in the cattle--among whom they were galloping. +Four men were told off to take them back to Epinal, and there +dispose of them, with their accouterments, for the benefit of the +military chest of the corps.</p> +<p>The question then arose as to what was to be done with the +Prussian wounded. Major Tempe decided this by saying that, as it +was quite impossible for the corps to be burdened with wounded men, +the best plan was to allow one of the slightly wounded among the +prisoners to walk back to Blamont; with a message that the Uhlans +could come back to fetch their wounded without molestation, as the +franc tireurs were upon the point of taking their departure.</p> +<p>The corps then assembled round a grave which had already been +dug, and into it the bodies of their comrades who had fallen were +placed. Major Tempe then said a few brief words of adieu, hoping +that all who fell might die equally bravely, and victoriously. Then +the sods were shoveled in; and the men, saddened by the +scene--though still flushed with the triumph of their first, and +signal, success--prepared to leave the spot.</p> +<p>Major Tempe had already held a consultation with his officers, +and their plan of operation had been decided upon. The difficulty +which they had encountered the evening before, with the horse and +cart, had already proved that it would be impossible to drag it +about with them. They had also taken thirty fine cattle, and +upwards of a hundred sheep from the enemy; and it was therefore +resolved to establish a sort of headquarters in the mountains, +where they could retire after their expeditions, and defy the +efforts of the Prussians to disturb them. The spot fixed upon was +the forest of Bousson, high up among the Vosges, and distant two +hard days' marching.</p> +<p>A portion of the troop, therefore, went round to Halloville, to +fetch the accouterments, blankets, etc. which had been left there; +while the rest marched, by the road, to the place where the cart +had been left the night before. Two peasants were engaged as guides +and, in the afternoon, the corps started for their destination.</p> +<p>It was a terrible march. The roads were mere tracks, and the +weather was terrible. Over and over again, the men had to unload +the carts, shoulder the contents, and carry them for a considerable +distance, until ground was reached where the cart could again be +loaded.</p> +<p>It was not until late on the evening of the third day's march +that, thoroughly done up by fatigue and hardship, the corps reached +the little village of Raon, in the heart of the forest of Bousson. +There was no possible fear of attack, here; and the commandant +decided that, for the night, there was no occasion for any of the +men to be out as sentries. The villagers at once took charge of the +animals, and turned them into a rough enclosure. The men were too +much done up even to care about keeping awake until supper could be +cooked and--being divided among the houses of the village--they +threw themselves down, and were fast asleep in a few minutes.</p> +<p>The next morning, the sun shone out brightly; and the men, +turning out after a long sleep, felt quite different creatures to +the tired band who had wearily crawled into the village. The bright +sky, the fresh morning air, the pleasant odor of the great pine +forest around them, and the bracing atmosphere--at the height of +fifteen hundred feet above the sea--at once refreshed and cheered +them.</p> +<p>There was a brief morning parade--at which Tim Doyle, for the +first time, took his place with a rifle on his shoulder--and then +the major dismissed them, saying that there would be no further +parade that day, and that the men could amuse themselves as they +liked. In a short time, every man was following the bent of his own +inclination. First, however, there was a general cleaning of the +rifles and accouterments; then most of the men went down to the +stream, and there was a great washing of clothes, accompanied with +much laughing and joking. Then needles and thread were obtained, +from the women of the village, and there was much mending and +darning--for the past three days' work, among rocks and woods, had +done no little damage to their uniforms.</p> +<p>Next came the grand operation of breakfast, for which two of the +sheep had been killed. This, being the first regular meal that they +had had, for three days, was greatly enjoyed. After it was eaten +most of the men lit their pipes, and prepared to pass a day of +delightful idleness. Two or three of the village boys had been +engaged, as cowherds and shepherds; and the animals were all driven +out into the woods where, in the open glades, they would find an +abundance of food.</p> +<p>The cart was unanimously condemned as worse than useless. An +empty shed was turned into a storehouse; and it was determined that +such stores of powder, etc. as might be required, upon each +expedition, should be packed upon the horse's back and, if the +horse could not take all required, that other horses should be +hired.</p> +<p>The Barclays, with their cousins, started for a ramble in the +wood; taking with them the Irishman, whose good humor and +unflagging spirits, during the last three days, had made him a +general favorite.</p> +<p>"Sure, and are there any wild bastes in the wood, your honor +Because, if there be, it would be well to take our rifles with us. +It would be mighty unpleasant to come across a lion, or a tiger, +and not to be able to pass him the time of day."</p> +<p>"No, Tim, we shall meet neither lions nor tigers, so you need +not trouble yourself with a rifle. A hundred years ago, we might +have met with a bear, or a wild boar; but they have disappeared, +long since. It is possible that there are a few wolves scattered +about; but they are never formidable to any but a solitary person, +even in winter; and at all other times fly from man's +approach."</p> +<p>The party had a charming ramble, for the scenery here was very +fine. At times, the forest was so thick that they could see no +glimpse of the sky, and the trunks of the trees seemed to make a +wall, all round them; then again, it would open, and they would +obtain a glimpse over the country far away, rise beyond rise, to +the plain of Champagne or--if the view were behind, instead of in +front of them--they could see the tops of the highest range of the +Vosges, rising hill above hill, and often wooded to the very +summit--the Donon, one of the highest points of the range, being +immediately behind them.</p> +<p>The villages are, here, few and far between, and the people +extremely poor; for the soil is poor, and although in summer the +cattle--which form their only wealth--are able to pick up an +abundance of food, in the forests, they have a hard struggle to +keep them alive during the winter. Their language is German, and +their appearance and dress rather German than French but, +notwithstanding this, they were thoroughly French in spirit, and +regarded the invaders with an intense hatred.</p> +<p>Another day, passed in rest, completely restored the most +exhausted of the band. Orders were therefore issued for an early +start, the next morning; the object, this time, being to endeavor +to cut the railway. The band were to march in a body for the slopes +of the Vosges, behind Sarrebourg and Saverne; and were then to +divide into companies, and scatter themselves among the villages +between Lorquin and Marmontier, so as to act together or +separately, as it might seem expedient.</p> +<h2><a name="Ch6" id="Ch6">Chapter 6</a>: The Tunnel Of Saverne.</h2> +<p>It is needless to follow the corps, step by step, through their +marches; for the names of the little villages through which they +passed would not be found in any maps published in England, and +would therefore possess little interest for English readers. After +two days' long marches, the main body of the corps reached a +village situated in a wood, at about four miles from the great rock +tunnel of Saverne. The fourth company had been left at a village, +five miles to the left; while the third company were, next day, to +march forward to a place at about the same distance to the right. +Their orders were to keep a sharp lookout, to collect news of the +movements and strength of the enemy; but not to undertake any +expedition, or to do anything, whatever, to lead the enemy to guess +at their presence in the neighborhood--as it was of vital +importance that they should not be put upon their guard, until the +great blow was struck.</p> +<p>As soon as they had marched into the village, the principal +inhabitants came forward, and a consultation was held as to +providing lodgings. After some conversation, it was agreed that the +officers should have quarters in the village; and that the +schoolrooms--two in number--should be placed at the disposal of the +men. They were good-sized rooms, and would hold thirty men each, +without difficulty. The company who were to march forward in the +morning were provided with quarters in the village.</p> +<p>Ralph and Percy Barclay, as usual, acted as interpreters between +Major Tempe and the inhabitants; for neither the major, nor any of +his officers, spoke German. That language, indeed, was spoken only +by a few men in the whole corps; and these the commandant had +divided among the other companies, in order that each company might +be able to shift for itself, when separated from the main body.</p> +<p>"Have you seen this proclamation?" one of the villagers asked. +"You see that we are running no little risk, in taking you in."</p> +<p>Ralph read it, and as he did so his face flushed with +indignation, and he exclaimed:</p> +<p>"This is infamous! Infamous!"</p> +<p>"What is it?" Major Tempe asked.</p> +<p>"It is a proclamation from the Prussian General commanding the +district, major, giving notice that he will shoot every franc +tireur he may catch; and also giving notice to the inhabitants that +if any Prussian soldier be killed, or even shot at, by a franc +tireur--if a rail be pulled up, or a road cut--that he will hold +the village near the spot accountable; will burn the houses, and +treat the male inhabitants according to martial law, and that the +same penalties will be exacted for sheltering or hiding franc +tireurs."</p> +<p>"Impossible!" Major Tempe said, astounded. "No officer of a +civilized army could issue such an edict. Besides, during an +invasion of Germany, the people were summoned by the King of +Prussia to take up arms, to cut roads, destroy bridges, and shoot +down the enemy--just as we are going to do, now. It is too +atrocious to be true."</p> +<p>"There it is, in black and white," Ralph said. "There can be no +mistake as to the wording."</p> +<p>Major Tempe looked grieved, as well as indignant.</p> +<p>"This will be a terrible business," he said, "if the war is to +be carried on in this way. Of course, if they give us no quarter, +we shall give them none. That is, we must make as many prisoners as +we can in order that, if any of our men are taken prisoners, we may +carry out reprisals if they shoot them.</p> +<p>"It will, besides this, do us great harm. Naturally, the +villagers, instead of looking upon us as defenders, will regard us +as the most dangerous of guests. They will argue:</p> +<p>"'If we make no resistance, the Prussians may plunder us, but at +least our houses and our lives are safe; whereas if these franc +tireurs are found to have been with us, or if they make any attack +in our neighborhood, we are not only plundered, but burnt out, and +shot!'</p> +<p>"Of course, we are always liable to treachery. There are +scoundrels always to be found who would sell their own mothers, but +now even the most patriotic cannot but feel that they are running +an immense risk in sheltering us.</p> +<p>"Never before, I believe, in the annals of civilized nations, +did a man in authority dare to proclaim that persons should suffer +for a crime with which they had nothing, whatever, to do. If we +arrive at a little village, how are the people to say to us, 'We +will not allow you to pull up a rail!'? And yet, if they do not +prevent us, they are to be punished with fire and sword. And these +people call themselves a civilized nation!</p> +<p>"One of the evil consequences of this proclamation is that we +shall never dare trust to the inhabitants to make inquiries for us. +They will be so alarmed, in case we should attempt anything in +their neighborhood, that they would be sure to do and say +everything they could to dissuade us from it and, if inclined to +treachery, might even try to buy their own safety by betraying +us."</p> +<p>Major Tempe was speaking to the other officers, who thoroughly +agreed with his opinion. Ralph and Percy had remained in the room, +in case any further questions might be asked in reference to the +proclamation. They now asked if anything else were required and, +upon a negative answer being given, saluted and took their leave. +It was dusk when they went out and, as they walked towards the +schoolroom, they heard a great tumult of voices raised in anger, +among which they recognized that of Tim Doyle.</p> +<p>"Howld yer jaw, you jabbering apes!" he exclaimed, in great +wrath. "Give me a lantern, or a candle, and let me begone. The boys +are all waiting for me to begin."</p> +<p>Hurrying up, they found Tim surrounded by a few of the principal +inhabitants of the village, and soon learned the cause of the +dispute. Supper was served, but it was too dark to see to eat it; +and Tim--always ready to make himself useful--had volunteered to go +in search of a light. He had in vain used his few words of French +with the villagers he met, and these had at last called the +schoolmaster, the only person in the village who understood French. +This man had addressed Tim first in French and then in German and, +upon receiving no coherent answer in either language, had arrived +at the conclusion that Tim was making fun of them. Hence the +dispute had arisen.</p> +<p>The boys explained matters, and the villagers--whose knowledge +of England was of the very vaguest description; and most of whom, +indeed, had previously believed that all the world spoke either +French or German--were profuse in apologies, and immediately +procured some candles, with which Tim and the boys hastened to the +schoolroom. Two candles were given to each company and--one being +lighted at each end of the room, and stuck upon nails in the +wall--the boys were enabled to see what the place was like.</p> +<p>Clean straw had been littered, a foot deep, down each side of +the room; and fifteen blankets were folded, side by side, along by +each wall. Upon pegs above--meant for the scholars' caps--hung the +haversacks, water bottles, and other accouterments; while the +rifles were piled along the center of the room, leaving space +enough to walk down upon either side, between them and the beds. At +the farther end of the room was a large fireplace, in which a log +fire was blazing; and a small shed, outside, had been converted +into a kitchen.</p> +<p>"We might be worse off than this, a long way, Ralph," said Louis +Duburg, as Ralph took his place on the straw next to him.</p> +<p>"That we might, Louis. The fire looks cheerful, too, and the +nights are getting very cold."</p> +<p>"That they are, Ralph.</p> +<p>"Ah! Here is supper. I am quite ready for that, too."</p> +<p>The men who officiated as cooks--and who, by agreement, had been +released from all night duty in consideration of their regularly +undertaking that occupation--now brought in a large saucepan full +of soup; and each man went up with his canteen, and received his +portion, returning to his bed upon the straw to eat it.</p> +<p>"Anything new, Barclay?" one of the men asked, from the other +side of the room.</p> +<p>"Yes, indeed," Ralph said. "New, and disagreeable. Mind none of +you get taken prisoners, for the Prussian General has issued a +proclamation that he shall shoot all franc tireurs he catches."</p> +<p>"Impossible!" came in a general chorus, from all present.</p> +<p>"Well, it sounds like it, but it is true enough," and Ralph +repeated, word for word, the proclamation which he had translated +to Major Tempe.</p> +<p>As might have been expected, it raised a perfect storm of +indignation; and this lasted until, at nine o'clock, the sergeant +gave the word:</p> +<p>"Lights out."</p> +<p>In the morning, after parade, Ralph and Percy strolled away +together and had a long talk and, at the end of an hour, they +walked to the house where Major Tempe had established his +headquarters.</p> +<p>"Good morning, my friends," he said, as they entered. "Is there +anything I can do for you? Sit down."</p> +<p>"We have been thinking, sir--Percy and I--that we could very +easily dress up as peasants, and go down to Saverne, or anywhere +you might think fit, and find out all particulars as to the +strength and position of the enemy. No one would suspect two boys +of being franc tireurs. It would be unlikely in the extreme that +anyone would ask us any questions and, if we were asked, we should +say we belonged to some village in the mountains, and had come down +to buy coffee, and other necessaries. The risk of detection would +be next to nothing, for we speak German quite well enough to pass +for lads from the mountains."</p> +<p>Major Tempe was silent a minute.</p> +<p>"You know you would be shot, at once, if you were detected."</p> +<p>"No doubt, sir, but there is no reason in the world why we +should be detected. The Prussians can't know everyone by sight, +even within the town itself; and will not notice us, at all. If +they do, our answer is sufficient."</p> +<p>"I tell you frankly, boys, I was thinking only last night of the +matter; but--however much you may make light of it--there is, of +course, a certain amount of danger in acting as spies; and your +father--my friend Captain Barclay--might say to me, if evil came of +it:</p> +<p>"'I gave you my boys to fight for France, and you have sent them +to their death, as spies.'</p> +<p>"So I resolved to say nothing about it."</p> +<p>"But now we have offered, sir, the case is different," Ralph +said. "From our knowledge of the language, and from our age, we are +better fitted than anyone in the corps to perform this service; and +therefore it would be clearly our duty to perform it, were it +greatly more dangerous than it is. Our father said to us, at +starting:</p> +<p>"'Do your duty, boys, whatever the danger.'</p> +<p>"We will see about our clothes--there can be no difficulty about +that, there are several lads in the village whose things would fit +us. Shall we come in this afternoon, for instructions?"</p> +<p>"Thank you, lads," Major Tempe said, warmly. "I trust, with you, +that no harm will come of it. But your offer is of too great +advantage to the corps for me to persist in my refusal."</p> +<p>Upon leaving the quarters of the commandant, the boys went at +once to the house of a farmer a short distance from the village +where, the day before, they had noticed two boys of about their own +size. They explained to the farmer that they wanted to buy of him a +suit of the working clothes of each of his sons. Greatly surprised +at this request, the farmer had inquired what they could possibly +want them for; and Ralph--who thought it better not to trust him +with the secret--replied that, as the Prussian General had given +notice that he should shoot all franc tireurs he might take +prisoners, they wanted a suit of clothes, each, which they might +slip on in case of defeat or danger of capture. The pretense was a +plausible one; and the farmer sold them the required clothes, +charging only about twice their cost, when new.</p> +<p>The boys took the parcel and, instead of returning to the +village direct, they hid it carefully in a wood, at a short +distance away. They then returned and, in the afternoon, received +detailed instructions from Major Tempe.</p> +<p>It was arranged that the matter should be kept entirely secret, +lest any incautious word might be overheard and reported. They were +to start at daybreak, upon the following morning. Their cousins and +Tim Doyle being--alone--taken into their confidence, their friends +regretted much that they could not accompany them, and share their +danger. The boys pointed out however that--even could they have +spoken German fluently--they could not have gone with them as, +although two strangers would excite no attention, whatever, five +would be certain to do so.</p> +<p>The next morning they started together, as if for a walk. Upon +reaching the spot in the wood where the peasants' clothes were +hidden, the boys took off their uniforms--which were wrapped up, +and concealed in the same place--and put on the clothes. They +fitted fairly; and more than that was not necessary, as peasants' +clothes are seldom cut accurately to the figure. Rounding their +shoulders, and walking with a clumping sort of stride, no one would +have imagined that they were other than they pretended to be--two +awkward-looking young Alsatian lads.</p> +<p>They cut two heavy sticks, exchanged a hearty goodbye with their +friends, and started for Saverne. Two hours later they were walking +in its streets; staring into the shop windows, and at everything +that was going on, with the open-mouthed curiosity of two young +country lads. Then they made a few purchases--some coffee, sugar, +and pepper--tied them in a colored pocket handkerchief, and then +went into a small cabaret--where they saw some German soldiers +drinking--sat down at a table, and called for some bread and cheese +and beer.</p> +<p>While they were taking them, they listened to the conversation +of the soldiers. The only information that they gleaned from it was +that the men seemed to have no expectation, whatever, of any early +movement; and that they were heartily sick of the monotony of the +place, and the hard work of patrolling the line of railway, night +and day. Presently the soldiers paid for their beer, and left; and +some of the townspeople came in, and took the places they had left. +Their conversation, of course, turned on the Prussian occupation, +and deep were the curses heaped upon the invaders. The only thing +mentioned in their favor was the smallness of their number. There +were not over two hundred men; and this amount weighed but lightly +upon Saverne, compared with the fifty, sixty, or a hundred +quartered at every little village along the line of railway.</p> +<p>The boys had now learned what they most wanted to know and, +paying for their refreshment, went out again into the street. Then +they walked to the railway station--where they saw several +soldiers, on guard--and then set off to a point where they could +see the entrance to the tunnel. There two soldiers were on guard; +while others were stationed, at short distances, all along the +line.</p> +<p>The boys now went up to a wood whence, unseen themselves, they +could watch the trains passing. They came along nearly every half +hour; immensely long trains, filled with stores of all kinds. As it +became dusk, they saw a body of Prussian soldiers marching down the +line; relieving the sentries, and placing fresh ones at distances +of little more than fifty yards apart. These marched backwards and +forwards, until they met each other; then returning, until they +faced their comrade at the other end of their beat.</p> +<p>"We can be off now, Percy," Ralph said, rising. "Our news is +bad, for it will be by no means so easy to cut the line as we had +expected. These weasels won't be very easily caught asleep."</p> +<p>"No, indeed," Percy said. "The idea of cutting the line sounded +so easy, when we were at a distance; but it is quite a different +matter, now we are here."</p> +<p>Upon their return they found--with some difficulty--the place +where they had hidden their uniforms; again changed clothes, and +then--carrying those they had just taken off, made up into +bundles--they re-entered the village, and went straight to +headquarters.</p> +<p>Major Tempe was at dinner with the other officers, and received +them with great pleasure; for he had been anxious, all day, lest +any misfortune might befall them. Finding that they had had nothing +to eat, since early in the morning, he at once invited them to sit +down to dinner; for military discipline is far less strict in these +matters, in France, than it is in England; and among the corps of +franc tireurs especially--as among the English volunteers, where +the private is in many cases equal to, or superior to, his officer +in social standing--the difference of rank is very much put aside, +except on duty.</p> +<p>"And you say that they have a sentinel at every fifty or sixty +yards, along the line?" Major Tempe said, when Ralph had given an +account of their day's investigation. "That appears, to me, to be +fatal to our plans."</p> +<p>"Why so?" Lieutenant de Maupas--who commanded the first +company--asked. "It seems to me that nothing could be easier. +Suppose we fell upon any given point, the sentries near it would be +at once killed, or made prisoners; and even allowing--as young +Barclay says--that there are troops in all the villages, it would +be a good half hour before a force, sufficient to disturb us, could +arrive."</p> +<p>"That is true enough," Major Tempe answered. "But what could we +do, in half an hour? We might pull up two hundred yards of rail. +What real advantage would be gained by that? The line of sentries +along the rail would, by firing their rifles, pass the news ten +miles, in half as many minutes; and the trains would be stopped +long before they arrived at the break. Each train carries, I know, +workmen and materials for repairing the line; and as it would be +impossible for us to carry away the rails, after pulling them up, +they would be replaced in as short a time as it took us to tear +them up; and the consequence would be that the traffic would only +be suspended for an hour or two, at most. For a break to be of any +real utility, whatever, it must last for days, if not for +weeks.</p> +<p>"The great coup, of course, would be the destruction of the rock +tunnel of Saverne, which was the special object of our presence +here. Failing that, we must try a bridge. The tunnel, however, is +the great affair. Once destroyed, there would be no repairing it, +for many weeks. My proposition is, therefore, that we turn our +attention at once to that point."</p> +<p>There was a general murmur of assent.</p> +<p>"The best course would be for Hardin's company to march direct +to the other end of the tunnel, seize it, and prevent interference +from that end; while the others then seize the Saverne end, and +hold it while preparations are made for blowing it up. Then, when +the match is lighted, fall back--if possible--before the arrival of +heavy bodies of the enemy."</p> +<p>"Nothing could be better," Lieutenant de Maupas exclaimed, and +the other officers agreed with him.</p> +<p>"What day do you propose for the movement?"</p> +<p>"The day after tomorrow, at daybreak," Major Tempe said. "That +will give us plenty of time to send orders to the other two +companies; and the sooner it is done, the better."</p> +<p>The conference was about to break up, when the surgeon--who had +listened in silence--said:</p> +<p>"The general plan is simple enough but, tell me, how do you +propose to set about blowing the tunnel up? You may be able to hold +it for half an hour, at most. How do you think of proceeding?"</p> +<p>Major Tempe and his officers looked at each other. They had not, +as yet, thought the matter over; but the instant it was put plainly +before them, they saw the difficulty.</p> +<p>"Oh," Lieutenant de Maupas said, confidently, "we shall, of +course, put the nitroglycerine somewhere in the middle of the +tunnel, and blow the whole affair up."</p> +<p>Lieutenant de Maupas had been a sailor; and his quickness of +decision and go-ahead, straight-forward way of doing everything +made him, at once, a favorite and an amusement to the men; who had +nicknamed him "Grande Vitesse," or, as we should say in English, +the "Express."</p> +<p>"I am afraid the matter is rather more difficult than you +imagine, De Maupas," Major Tempe said, with a smile. "This is in +Ribouville's way; as he was in the Engineers, he will know all +about it."</p> +<p>The officer named, however, did not reply for some little time; +but sat with his head on his hand, in deep thought.</p> +<p>"I feel ashamed to own it," he said, at last; "but I really do +not know how one could set about the matter so as to have a chance +of really destroying the tunnel, after so short a time for +preparation. Were the tunnel an ordinary, brick-lined tunnel, the +proposition of De Maupas--slightly modified--would no doubt have +the effect of bringing down the brick lining, and the earth behind +would fall in, of itself; but with a tunnel cut in the solid rock, +it would be difficult. The natural strength of the tunnel would be +so great that the force of the explosion would simply be lost, +through the ends. It might or might not bring down a few masses of +rock, but one could not rely upon it doing even that.</p> +<p>"If I had time, the matter would be easy enough. I should make a +deep chamber in the solid rock, at the side of the tunnel; insert +my charge, and then tamp or fasten it in, with masonry. This would +ensure its destruction, at the point of explosion; but I have no +hope of any great damage being done, by merely putting two barrels +of nitroglycerine down upon the line, and then firing them. I can +assure you the point mooted by the doctor is more serious and, as +far as I see at present, I could do nothing in half an hour which +would, in any way, ensure the destruction of the tunnel. To make +such a chamber as I speak of (to hold two barrels of +nitroglycerine) would be the work of four or five days, working +night and day--even with the aid of powder--and of course, it would +be out of the question to hope for as many hours."</p> +<p>There was a pause of consternation, as Lieutenant Ribouville +spoke. Here was the end of the grand scheme, from which they had +expected so much. At this time, the Germans had no other line of +rail at their command; and the destruction of the tunnel would have +been a disaster, equal to that of the loss of a pitched battle.</p> +<p>"There would be no chance, would there, of our hiding in the +woods under which the tunnel runs; so as to bore down to it, and +blow it in from above?" Major Tempe asked.</p> +<p>"None whatever. The depth to be bored would be considerable. The +stone is hard, and it could not be pierced without the use of +powder, which would betray our presence; and even could we use it, +and were the men all good miners, it would be a work of months, at +the very least."</p> +<p>There was a silence for some minutes, and then the commandant +said:</p> +<p>"We cannot give it up, without a trial. Think it over, +Ribouville, for the next three or four days. You may be able to +pitch upon some plan. If you cannot do so, we must at least try the +experiment of exploding our nitroglycerine in the middle of the +tunnel--or, at any rate, as far in as we can carry it--and make our +retreat in the half hour, which is all the time we can calculate +upon holding the entrance."</p> +<h2><a name="Ch7" id="Ch7">Chapter 7</a>: A Baffled Project.</h2> +<p>Before leaving the headquarters of the commandant, the young +Barclays asked if he wished that they should continue to keep +silence upon the subject of their expedition. The commandant +replied that he did not see that it could do any harm, provided +that they impressed upon their comrades the necessity of +maintaining an absolute silence upon the subject, when any of the +people of the neighborhood were present. Although the villagers +might appear to understand no language but German, they might yet +know enough French to glean what was said and, if traitorously +inclined, to warn the Germans, and thus enormously increase the +danger when the Barclays should again go down to the town.</p> +<p>Their cousins had already heard of their return; for the boys, +upon sitting down to dinner at the commandant's, had requested +leave to send a line to their cousins, who would be anxiously +expecting them.</p> +<p>"Hallo! You Barclay, where have you been to, all day?" was the +general exclamation, as they entered.</p> +<p>"On duty," Ralph said.</p> +<p>"On duty--yes, but what duty? The Duburgs have been mysterious, +and would say nothing. The sergeant here knew nothing about it, +except that our lieutenant told him that you had leave; and Irish +Tim has been hanging about all day, as restless as a cow that has +lost its calf."</p> +<p>"We have been down to Saverne," Ralph said.</p> +<p>There was a general exclamation of astonishment. Those of the +men who had already lain down upon their straw for the night sat up +again, and all crowded round to hear Ralph's story, which he at +once told at length; and which, when finished, gave rise here--as +it had done at the officers' table--to an animated discussion. +Several of the men shook hands warmly with the Barclays, +congratulating them on their offer to undertake this dangerous +service, and upon the valuable--though unfavorable--information +which they had obtained.</p> +<p>From this time forward, the men ceased to attempt to pass jokes +at the expense of any of the boys. When the corps was first raised, +many of the young men had been inclined to protest against boys +being accepted, when the list could have been readily filled with +men but, by this time, the boys had proved that they were quite as +capable of supporting fatigue as were the men. They had behaved +equally well in action; and now the enterprise of the Barclays +testified to the fact that, in a dangerous expedition requiring +coolness, presence of mind, and nerve, they were equally to be +relied upon. Henceforward there was no distinction, or difference, +between the various members of the corps.</p> +<p>Another four days passed and--as the ex-officer of Engineers +could suggest no certain plan, for the destruction of the tunnel, +which could be carried out in the time which a surprise of the +sentries at its mouth would give them--Major Tempe resolved upon +delaying no longer; but on sending four men into the tunnel, under +Lieutenant Ribouville, with instructions to go as far as they could +in a quarter of an hour, to set down the barrels against the rock, +to light a fuse cut to burn a quarter of an hour, and then to +return at full speed to the mouth of the tunnel.</p> +<p>One company was to seize the other end, to tear up seven, eight, +or ten rails, and to retire at once into the woods; as the delay in +getting the rails into their places again would prevent any train +entering, from that end, in time for its occupants to see and +extinguish the burning fuse.</p> +<p>The other company--which was absent--was to join the +headquarters, the evening before the attempt; and it was hoped that +the three companies would be able to keep the enemy at bay for half +an hour, so as to give time to the party with the nitroglycerine to +take it to the required position, and rejoin their comrades. +Immediately upon their doing so the retreat was to commence; as the +enemy could not possibly penetrate the tunnel, and extinguish the +fuse, before the explosion took place.</p> +<p>The attempt was not to be made till the following evening; in +order that the Barclays might go down, and see that all was as +before at Saverne, and along the line. The next day, accordingly, +the boys again put on their disguises and started; as before, +taking the precaution to change in the wood, so as not to be seen +by any of the villagers. Upon reaching the spot from which a view +of the tunnel was obtainable, they stopped, with a simultaneous +exclamation of dismay. Not only were two sentries stationed near +the entrance; but some fifteen or twenty German soldiers were +sitting or standing by a small building, at a short distance, which +had evidently been turned into a guard house.</p> +<p>"This looks very much against us, Ralph. One would think that +they had got information of our being near."</p> +<p>"It looks bad, indeed, Percy. Let us go on into the town. We +shall, perhaps, learn something about it, there."</p> +<p>A sharp walk soon brought them to Saverne. A sentry was on duty +at the entrance to the town, and several of his comrades stood +near. The sentry looked as if about to stop them; but seeing, when +they came up, that they were only boys, he let them pass without +question.</p> +<p>"Worse and worse, Percy. Something is up, sure enough."</p> +<p>This became more evident at every step they took, for the little +town was absolutely crowded with German soldiers.</p> +<p>"Unless they are merely halting here, upon their march through, +it is all up with our plan, Percy. There must be over two thousand +men here, at the very least."</p> +<p>Upon questioning a lad of the town, of about their own age, they +found that the fresh troops had arrived upon the preceding day; the +infantry--two thousand strong--coming in by train, late in the +evening before; and three hundred cavalry marched in, only half an +hour before the boys' arrival. They were all quartered upon the +inhabitants, and there appeared to be no sign of their early +departure.</p> +<p>For some time the boys walked about, without obtaining any +information; although they entered a dozen cabarets, and drank +considerable quantities of beer. At last, before one of the +principal cafes, they saw ten or twelve German officers sitting, +talking. None of the inhabitants were sitting at the cafe; and the +boys dared not go in to ask for anything, there, as it would not +have been in accordance with their appearance.</p> +<p>"How are we to get within hearing, Percy?"</p> +<p>"Look here, Ralph; I will limp along, as if I had something in +my shoe which hurts me. Then I will sit down on a doorstep, close +to them, and take off my boot. You can sit down, too, and take some +of the bread and cheese which we put in our pockets, because we +could not eat it at the last place we went in. I will keep my boot +off, to ease my foot; and we can eat our bread and cheese, as +slowly as we like."</p> +<p>"That will do capitally, Percy."</p> +<p>In another couple of minutes the two lads were sitting, as +agreed, upon the step of a door close to the cafe. They could not +hear all that was said; but could catch the sense, as the German +officers--as is their custom--spoke in a very loud voice. They +belonged to the infantry; and were, it appeared, in ignorance of +the reason of their sudden move to Saverne.</p> +<p>Presently a captain of the cavalry came along the street.</p> +<p>"Ah, Von Rausen," a major in the infantry exclaimed, "are you +here? I have not seen you since the day you marched from +Coblentz."</p> +<p>"No, indeed, major," the other said, saluting--as a Prussian +officer always does, to his superior in rank--the other infantry +officers all rising, and saluting in turn. "We have just come in +from Hagenau."</p> +<p>"Are you in a hurry?" asked the major. "If not, sit down and let +us talk."</p> +<p>The cavalry officer accepted the invitation and, for a few +minutes, their talk ran upon mutual friends. Then the major +said:</p> +<p>"By the way, do you know what we are here for? We were bustled +off at a moment's notice; no one knows why, except of course the +colonel, and he has not thought necessary to tell us and, +naturally, we have not asked him."</p> +<p>"Do you not know?" Captain Von Rausen said. "It is no secret--at +least, no secret from us, but a secret from the people here. I will +speak in French; no doubt there are plenty of spies about."</p> +<p>"There is no one in hearing," the major said, "except those two +stupid-looking lads, munching bread and cheese."</p> +<p>"The more likely to be spies," Von Rausen said. "Fellows who +look like fools are just the people chosen."</p> +<p>"Well, speak in English then, Von Rausen," the major said; "we +both understand it, and we should be safe, then, if all Saverne +were listening."</p> +<p>"Yes, that will be safe.</p> +<p>"Well, then, the general received information, yesterday, that +that corps of franc tireurs who cut up our cavalry near Blamont, +the other day, are hid up in some village in the woods, four or +five miles from here; no doubt with the intention of making an +attempt to blow up the tunnel. The idea is a daring one and, if the +plan had succeeded, it would have done us incalculable harm. As it +is, we are safe; and tomorrow night we shall, I believe, make an +expedition, and sweep the woods clear of these troublesome +gentry.</p> +<p>"These franc tireurs will be mischievous if we do not give them +a sharp lesson. The general's proclamation gave notice that every +one of them taken would be shot, and our colonel is just the man to +carry out the order."</p> +<p>"This is indeed important," the major said. "But how did we get +the information? Is it certain?"</p> +<p>"Quite certain. A scoundrel of a schoolmaster at Grunsdorf--a +village somewhere up in the woods--turned traitor; and sent a +letter to the general, bargaining that he should be taken on as a +spy, at some fabulous salary, and offering to begin by leading the +troops to the village where these franc tireurs are hidden."</p> +<p>"An infamous scoundrel!" the major said warmly. "Of course, one +cannot refuse to deal with traitors, when the information is of +importance; but one longs to put a pistol bullet into them. Badly +as the French have come out in many particulars, since the war +began, there is not one which gives me such a mean idea of them as +the number of offers which have been sent in to supply information, +and betray their countrymen."</p> +<p>"Put on your boots, Percy," Ralph said, in a low voice. "It is +time for us to be off. Don't hurry; and above all, if they should +take it into their heads to address us suddenly in French, or +English, don't start or seem to notice."</p> +<p>The major was, however, so absorbed in the information he had +received--and so confident that the English, in which it had been +told, would be unintelligible to anyone who might overhear it--that +he paid no attention to the boys who--one of them limping +badly--went slowly down the street; stopping, occasionally, to look +in at the shop windows. It was not until they were fairly outside +the town, and out of sight of the German sentries, that they either +spoke or quickened their pace.</p> +<p>"The franc tireurs of Dijon may thank their lucky stars that +they sent down spies to Saverne today, Percy; and especially that +we, of all the members of the corps, were selected. If we had not +been where we were, just at that moment, and if we had not +understood English, it would have been all up with the corps, and +no mistake."</p> +<p>"What an infamous scoundrel, as the major said, that +schoolmaster must be, Ralph! What do you think the commandant will +do?"</p> +<p>"He has nothing to do but to retreat, as quickly as we can go, +Percy; but if it costs him half the corps, I hope he will hang that +schoolmaster, before he goes."</p> +<p>"I hope so, too," Percy said; and scarcely another word was +spoken, until they reached the village.</p> +<p>It was still early, scarcely two o'clock, and Major Tempe was +drilling the whole corps--the two detached companies having arrived +that morning--when the boys, having again put on uniform, +approached him.</p> +<p>Major Tempe nodded to them, as they came up.</p> +<p>"You are back early," he said. "You are excused from drill. I +will see you at my quarters, when it is over."</p> +<p>"If you please, major," Ralph said, respectfully, "you had +better dismiss the men, at once. We have news of the highest +importance to tell you."</p> +<p>The major looked surprised but, seeing by the boys' faces that +the news was very serious, he at once dismissed the men; telling +them to keep near, as they might be wanted. Then, calling his +officers, he proceeded at once with the Barclays towards his +quarters.</p> +<p>"Excuse me, major," Ralph said, "but instead of going to your +quarters, would you move to some open space, where we can speak +without a possibility of being overheard by anyone?"</p> +<p>Still more surprised, Major Tempe led the way to some felled +trees at the edge of the forest, a short distance from the village. +Here he sat down, and motioned to the others to do the same. Ralph +then told his story, interrupted many times by exclamations of +rage, upon the part of his auditors; and giving full credit to +Percy for his idea of the plan by which, unnoticed, they had +managed to get within hearing of the German officers. The fury of +the French officers knew no bounds. They gesticulated, they stamped +up and down, they swore terribly, they were ready to cry from sheer +rage.</p> +<p>Major Tempe, alone, uttered no remark during the whole +narration. When it was concluded, he sat silent for a minute or +two; with his lips pressed together, and a look of deep indignation +on his face. Then he rose, and said in a solemn tone:</p> +<p>"As sure as the sun shines, and as sure as my name is Edward +Tempe, so sure shall that schoolmaster, of Grunsdorf, be hung +before tomorrow morning!</p> +<p>"Lieutenant Ribouville, order the assembly to be sounded, and +form the men here in hollow square.</p> +<p>"Messieurs Barclay, you will fall in with your company."</p> +<p>A little surprised--and hurt that the commandant had said no +word of commendation to them, for the service they had +performed--the boys hurried off to their quarters, to get their +rifles.</p> +<p>"Sure, Master Ralph, and what is the matter, at all?" Tim Doyle +said, as they entered. "Sure the major, honest man, must have gone +off his head, entirely! Scarcely had we finished our male, and +began to smoke the first pipe in aise and comfort, when the bugle +blows for parade.</p> +<p>"'Confound the bugle!' says I, and I shoved me pipe aside, and +put on my belt and fell in.</p> +<p>"Hardly had we begun the maneuvers when your honors arrived and +said a word, private, to the major. The words weren't out of your +mouth before he dismisses us from drill.</p> +<p>"'Botheration!' says I, 'is there no pace for the wicked?'</p> +<p>"Back I comes again, and takes off me belt and piles me +firelock; and before I had got three draws at me pipe, and was just +beginning to enjoy the creetur when, crack! and there goes the +assimbly again. Sure and the major, honest man, has lost his head +entirely; and it's a pity, for he is an illegant man, and a good +officer, says I."</p> +<p>"Come along, Tim," Ralph said, laughing, "else you'll be late +for parade. You will hear all about it in time, I have no +doubt."</p> +<p>In five minutes the men were all assembled in a hollow square, +two deep, facing the officers in the center The men saw at once, by +the faces of Major Tempe and the officers, that something very +serious had happened; and they had no sooner taken their places +than there was a deep hush of expectancy, for it was evident that +the commandant was about to address them.</p> +<p>"My men," he said, after a pause of a minute or two, "a great +calamity has happened; and a still greater one would have happened, +had we not providentially received warning in time. It had been +resolved--as you would have heard this evening, had all gone +well--that tonight we should attack the German sentries, and blow +up the rock tunnel of Saverne. The affair would have been hot, but +it would have been a vital service to France; and the franc tireurs +of Dijon would have merited, and obtained, the thanks of all +France. It was for the purpose of the attack that the two companies +detached from us were recalled.</p> +<p>"All promised well for success. Two of your number had been down +into Saverne, in disguise, and had brought us full information +respecting the force and disposition of the enemy. All was +prepared, the chance of success favorable, and the force the enemy +could have brought against us was no larger than our own. We should +have saved France, and immortalized ourselves.</p> +<p>"At the present moment there are two thousand five hundred men +in Saverne. Tomorrow night this village is to be attacked, and +every franc tireur found here put to the sword."</p> +<p>A cry of surprise and rage broke from the men.</p> +<p>"And how, think you, has the change been wrought? By +treachery!"</p> +<p>Those cries of rage were renewed.</p> +<p>"By treachery! A Frenchman has been found, base and vile enough +to sell us to Prussia. All hope of success is over, and we have +only to retreat."</p> +<p>"Who is he? Who is he?" burst from the infuriated men. "Death to +the traitor! Death to the traitor!"</p> +<p>"Yes, men, death to the traitor!" the major said, solemnly. "It +is the schoolmaster of Grunsdorf who has sold you to the Prussians; +who wrote that letter to their general, telling him of your +intentions, which has caused these great reinforcements to be sent; +and who has offered to guide a force to surround us, tomorrow +night."</p> +<p>Another low cry of horror and indignation broke from the +men.</p> +<p>"Is it your opinion that this man has deserved death?"</p> +<p>"Yes," was the unanimous answer.</p> +<p>"Then he dies," Major Tempe said, solemnly. "You were to have +been his victims; you are his judges.</p> +<p>"Grunsdorf is three miles from here, in the woods, not far from +Saverne. A party will be told off, presently, who will be charged +with the execution of this sentence.</p> +<p>"I have now another duty. The corps has been saved from +destruction. You--all of us--have been preserved from death by the +intelligence and courage of two of your number.</p> +<p>"Ralph and Percy Barclay, stand forward!"</p> +<p>The two boys stepped two paces forward into the hollow +square.</p> +<p>"Selected by me," continued Major Tempe, "for the duty, from +their perfect acquaintance with German; they, upon their first +visit to Saverne, obtained all the information required. Upon their +second visit, this morning--finding the enemy had been immensely +reinforced--they perceived the extreme importance of discovering +the reason for the arrival of the reinforcements, and their +intention. With a coolness and tact which does them the greatest +credit, they contrived to arrive, and to remain within hearing of, +a number of officers; and then learned the whole particulars of the +treachery of this man, and of the intention of our enemies. So +important was the secret judged that the Germans were afraid of +telling it in German, or in French, lest they might be overheard. +To prevent the possibility of this, they conversed in English; and +the consequence is that we are saved, almost by a miracle.</p> +<p>"Ralph and Percy Barclay, your names will be inserted in the +order of the day, being the first of the corps to whom that honor +has been given; and I hereby offer you, in the name of myself, my +officers, and the whole corps, my hearty thanks for your courage, +coolness, and devotion.</p> +<p>"The parade is dismissed. The men will assemble at five o'clock, +in full marching order, with all necessaries and accouterments."</p> +<p>As Major Tempe ceased speaking, the men broke up from the order +in which they had been standing, and crowded round the young +Barclays; shaking them by the hand, patting them on the shoulder, +and congratulating them heartily upon the service that they had +rendered, and upon the terms in which their commandant had thus +publicly acknowledged it.</p> +<p>At five o'clock the corps assembled again in heavy marching +order and, after inspection, the second, third, and fourth +companies marched off; with their officers, who alone knew their +destination, at their head. Major Tempe remained on the ground, +with the first company. After waiting for a few minutes, they were +marched off in the direction which the others had taken but--after +getting out of sight of the village, and fairly entering the +forest--they turned sharp off, and took the direction of +Saverne.</p> +<h2><a name="Ch8" id="Ch8">Chapter 8</a>: The Traitor.</h2> +<p>After the company had marched for half an hour, a halt was +called, and their commandant said:</p> +<p>"I daresay you have all guessed the object which we have in +view. We are going to carry out the sentence pronounced by the +whole corps. We are going to have that schoolmaster--that +traitor--who has sold our lives to the Prussians; and who--which is +of infinitely greater importance--has done immense injury to +France, by betraying our intention of blowing up the tunnel. That +traitor I intend to have, tonight; and if I have him, I will hang +him, as sure as fate.</p> +<p>"This lane which we are following leads to Grunsdorf; which, +according to the information I collected before leaving, cannot be +above a mile distant. Now, we must be cautious. It is quite +possible that a detachment of the enemy may have been sent up to +the village, and in that case we might catch a Tartar. Even if +there are no Germans there, we must be cautious, or the bird will +escape. We neither know him, nor the house he lives in and--as he +would naturally guess that his treachery had been discovered, and +that we had come for him--he would slip out into the forest, the +instant he saw the first bayonet approaching. It is essential, +therefore, that we should obtain accurate information of the state +of affairs, and of the position of this traitor's house.</p> +<p>"In another half hour it will be dusk. The Barclays have again +volunteered to go in, and find out what we require. They will go on +at once; and in an hour we will follow, and remain concealed, just +outside the village, until they return.</p> +<p>"Sergeant, you will go forward with them, and agree upon the +place where we shall remain hid, until they join us.</p> +<p>"Now, my lads, you have already received your instructions. +Change your things, and go forward at once."</p> +<p>The distance was farther than they had expected, and it was +nearly dark before the boys entered Grunsdorf. There was no one +moving in the quiet village, for a fine rain was falling as the +boys walked slowly along.</p> +<p>"There is no one to ask, Percy. We must go into the public +house, as arranged, and ask where the priest's house is. It would +not do for two strangers to ask for the schoolmaster. The priest +will tell us where he lives."</p> +<p>So saying, they entered the little cabaret, walked down a long +passage leading from the door, and paused for a moment at the +threshold--for in the room were some eight or ten Prussian +soldiers.</p> +<p>"It is too late to retreat, Percy. Come in boldly."</p> +<p>Lifting their caps, they walked up to an unoccupied table; and +called for some bread, cheese, and beer. The landlord brought the +refreshments, and the boys had scarcely begun to eat when a +Prussian sergeant--who had exchanged a word with the landlord, +evidently in reference to them--strode up to them and, laying his +hand upon Ralph's shoulder, said:</p> +<p>"Who are you, young fellows? The landlord says you do not belong +to the village."</p> +<p>"We belong to a party of woodcutters, from Colmar," Ralph said, +quietly.</p> +<a id="PicB" name="PicB"></a><center><img src="images/b.jpg" alt= +"Illustration: Among the German Soldiers." /></center> +<p>"Oh, indeed!" the sergeant said, in an incredulous voice, "and +where are your party?"</p> +<p>"Out in the forest, at the place where we have begun to fell +trees," Ralph said.</p> +<p>"But people do not come to cut wood without horses, or carts to +take it away," the sergeant persisted.</p> +<p>"They are up in the forest with our father," Ralph said.</p> +<p>"Have you heard anything about this party?" the sergeant asked +the landlord.</p> +<p>The man hesitated a moment. He evidently suspected, also, that +the boys might belong to the franc tireurs; and was anxious to say +nothing which could harm them.</p> +<p>"No," he said, after a pause, "I can't say that I have heard of +them; but I know some of the forest was sold, not long ago, and +they might have come from Colmar without coming this way."</p> +<p>"We only arrived this morning," Percy said, quietly, "so that +you could hardly have heard of us, unless some of the people of +your place happened to pass, when we were at work; and we have not +seen anyone, all day."</p> +<p>"At any rate," the sergeant said, "I shall see if your story be +true, and you will at once take us to the place.</p> +<p>"Corporal, get ten men in readiness."</p> +<p>"Certainly," Ralph said, "if you will allow us to finish our +supper, we will show you the way, at once."</p> +<p>The sergeant nodded, and resumed his seat.</p> +<p>"Look here, Percy," Ralph said, quietly, "we are in a nasty fix, +this time. There is only one thing to be done, that I can see. If +we both go they will shoot us, to a certainty; for although one +might make a bolt in the wood, it is certain we could not both get +away.</p> +<p>"Only one thing is to be done. I will say your foot is bad, and +ask for you to stay here. Directly we have gone, you slip out and +go--as hard as you can--to the place where our men are hid. I will +bring them in that direction. We shall have passed the place before +you can reach it--at least, unless you can get out, at once--and +pass on in the darkness. Take off your shoes, so as to run lightly. +As we pass, fire a volley right into us; and I will make a dart +into the wood, in the confusion."</p> +<p>"But you might be shot by our men, Ralph. They could not +possibly distinguish you, in the dark. No, I will go with the men, +and you make your way to Tempe."</p> +<p>"No, no, Percy, I won't have that."</p> +<p>"Very well," Percy said, doggedly, "then we will go +together."</p> +<p>There was a silence for a minute or two, and then Ralph +said:</p> +<p>"Look here, Percy, this is madness; however, as you won't do as +I tell you, we will draw lots. I will put a piece of crumb in one +of my hands. You shall guess which it is in. If you guess right, I +will go with the Germans. If you guess wrong, you shall go."</p> +<p>"Very well," Percy said; "I agree to that."</p> +<p>Ralph then broke off a small piece of bread, and put it in one +of his hands--having already, before he made the proposition, +broken off a similar piece, unobserved by Percy. He then put both +hands under the table, and then lifted them again; all the time +trying to appear not to be engaged upon anything out of the way, as +he knew that some of the Germans were watching them.</p> +<p>"Left," Percy said.</p> +<p>Ralph replied by opening the left hand, and dropping the piece +of bread on the table; at the same time putting his right hand back +into his pocket, as if to get out his handkerchief--and dropping, +as he did so, the piece of bread it contained into the place.</p> +<p>"There, Percy, fortune has decided it.</p> +<p>"Goodbye; God bless you. I daresay I shall get out of it but, if +not, give my love to them all, at home."</p> +<p>Then he finished his beer and rose, without giving Percy time to +reply, even could he have done so; but the lad was so much choked, +with the effort to keep from crying, that he could not have spoken. +Ralph turned to the sergeant and--stretching his arms, with the +natural air of a tired boy, objecting to be disturbed--said:</p> +<p>"Now, sir, I am ready to start. I suppose there is no occasion +for us both to go, for my brother has hurt his foot. We shouldn't +have come in, tonight; but it is his first time out with the +woodmen, and he is not accustomed to sleeping out, in the wet."</p> +<p>"Yes, one is enough. He can stay," the sergeant said.</p> +<p>"You had better ask the landlord to show you a corner, where you +can sleep on the straw, Karl," Ralph said. "It is no use waiting +for me. I shall be back in an hour."</p> +<p>With a nod to Percy, Ralph now walked steadily to the door. The +sergeant, with the men told off for the duty, accompanied him. When +they reached the street, it was raining heavily.</p> +<p>"I wonder," Ralph said, "whether the landlord would lend me a +sack, to put on my shoulders."</p> +<p>"Is this place far off, youngster?" the sergeant asked, peering +out into the darkness.</p> +<p>Ralph's heart gave a jump; for he detected, in the tone, a +certain hesitation as to taking the men out in such a night, upon +such slight suspicion. He was, however, too shrewd to show any +desire to dissuade the sergeant from it, so he replied:</p> +<p>"No, it is no distance to speak of; not a mile, at most. We +should be there and back in half an hour, if it was light; but +there is only a path among the woods and it is dark.</p> +<p>"I think we had better have some lanterns, for I do not think I +could find my way without them, tonight; at any rate, it would take +us much longer."</p> +<p>"There, boy, that will do," the sergeant said, laying his hand +on his shoulder. "I am satisfied, now, with the truth of your +story. I thought, for a bit, you had something to do with the franc +tireurs who are about here, but I see I was mistaken.</p> +<p>"Turn in again, lads. It is no use taking you out on a useless +search, such a night as this, among these forests."</p> +<p>Ralph laughed aloud, as they turned to go down the passage again +to the corner.</p> +<p>"Won't father laugh," he said, "when he hears that you thought I +was a franc tireur. We haven't seen any, about Colmar. I don't +think you need be afraid of them, if they ain't bigger or older +than I am."</p> +<p>By this time they had entered the room again, and Ralph saw that +Percy was already talking to the landlord--with whom, indeed, he +was on the point of leaving the room. He turned round, upon hearing +the party come in again, and gave a slight start of pleasure.</p> +<p>"I am soon back, Karl, and am glad that it is so for, frankly, I +too am tired; and it is not a night for a dog to be out. I will go +in with you."</p> +<p>"Stay, landlord," the sergeant said. "Give the boys another +glass, each, before they go off."</p> +<p>"Thank you," Ralph said. "A glass of good beer never comes +amiss."</p> +<p>The boys stopped, while the landlord filled their glasses.</p> +<p>"Now," said the sergeant, raising his arm. "Here's a health, to +King William."</p> +<p>"Here's a health, to King William," Ralph repeated. "I am sure I +wish him no harm.</p> +<p>"And now, with your permission, I will be off."</p> +<p>The landlord led them to an outhouse, in which were some trusses +of straw. Just as he was about to leave them, Ralph said, +suddenly:</p> +<p>"Ah! I had nearly forgotten about the priest. You have a priest +here, have you not?"</p> +<p>"Of course," the landlord said. "Do you take us for +heathens?"</p> +<p>"Not at all," Ralph said, apologetically; "but father told me to +call, and pay him for some masses. My eldest sister was very ill, +when we came away, and father worries about her.</p> +<p>"Where does the priest live?"</p> +<p>"The last house on the left, as you go out from the farther end +of the village. But anyone will show you it, in the morning.</p> +<p>"You don't want the light any longer?"</p> +<p>For the boys had, while speaking, been taking off their boots, +and making a show of preparing to lie down on the straw.</p> +<p>"No, thank you. Good night.</p> +<p>"Oh, I forgot--what do you charge, a cask, for your best beer? +Father wanted to know and, if the price suits, will send down a +cart to fetch it."</p> +<p>The landlord named the price, and then said good night, and left +them.</p> +<p>When he returned to the room where he had left the German +soldiers, the sergeant asked him a question or two concerning the +boys; and the landlord repeated the substance of the conversation +which he had just had. This allayed the last suspicions which had +remained in the sergeant's mind; and he congratulated himself, +greatly, that he had not taken his men out, in such a night, upon a +mere groundless suspicion.</p> +<p>"If the landlord repeats that yarn to the Germans, it will allay +all suspicion," Ralph said, when they were left alone. "Otherwise +the sergeant might have taken it into his head to come to have a +look at us and, although it would not very much matter that he +should discover that the birds had flown, still it would have put +him on his guard, and he might have doubled the sentries, and made +it much more difficult for us.</p> +<p>"We have had a very narrow squeak for it this time, Percy, old +boy."</p> +<p>"Very, Ralph! I would rather go through twenty battles, again, +than feel as I felt when I saw you start, and thought that I should +never see you again, alive."</p> +<p>"Well, we have no time to lose now, Percy. Have you got your +boots on again? If so, let us start at once. The major and men must +be very anxious, long before this. It must be full an hour since we +came."</p> +<p>"It has been the longest hour I ever passed, Ralph. There now, I +am ready, if you are."</p> +<p>"We must go out very quietly, Percy. I have no doubt that they +have got sentries posted all about. They know that we are in the +neighborhood I wish I knew how many there are of them."</p> +<p>"I found out, from the landlord, that all the fifteen men we saw +here were billeted upon him," Percy said. "He told me at first, +when I asked him, that he could do nothing for me in the way of a +bed, because there were three or four in every room. I said that a +stable and a little straw would do for us, very well, and then he +thought of this outhouse.</p> +<p>"At the same rate, there must be at least a hundred men in the +village."</p> +<p>They now opened the door of the outhouse, went quietly out, and +made their way through a garden at the back of the house towards +the wood.</p> +<p>"Stand still a few minutes, Percy," Ralph said, in a whisper, +"and let us see if we can find out where the sentries are placed. I +expect that they form a cordon round the village.</p> +<p>"Lie down by this wall. We can see them, there, and they cannot +see us."</p> +<p>It was well that they did so for, in another minute, they heard +a tread quite close to them; and a Prussian soldier passed, within +a yard of where they were lying. They could dimly see that his hood +was over his head, and hear that he was humming to himself a scrap +of some German air. They lay there until he had again passed the +spot; and then--having found out the direction of his beat--they +crawled noiselessly away and, in five minutes, had reached the edge +of the forest.</p> +<p>They did not enter it, as it would have been impossible--in the +dense darkness--to have made their way without running against +trees, and snapping off boughs, which would have given the alarm. +They therefore skirted the edge--knowing that, with the trees +behind them, they would be invisible at the distance of a yard or +two--and in ten minutes reached the place where their company was +awaiting them. As they approached the spot, they gave a short, low +whistle; which was the agreed sign, among the band, for knowing +each other on night expeditions. It was answered at once and, in +another minute, they were among their friends.</p> +<p>"What has happened?" Major Tempe asked. "We were getting very +anxious about you. I sent Favarts to reconnoiter, ten minutes ago; +and he has just returned, saying that he can hear someone pacing +backwards and forwards on the road, and that he believes it to be a +sentry."</p> +<p>"He was quite right," Ralph said; "the village is full of +Germans. There must--as far as we can see--be seventy or eighty of +them, at the very lowest; and there are probably a hundred. We have +been prisoners, or something very like it, and have had a +monstrously close shave of it.</p> +<p>"But I will tell you all that, when we have time. Do you still +think of carrying out your plans?"</p> +<p>"Certainly," Major Tempe said, "that schoolmaster I am +determined to have, even if we fight our way in, and shoot him in +bed. Have you found out where he lives?"</p> +<p>"No, sir, but we have found out where the priest lives. It is +this end house: the end of the village, on the left-hand side as +you come out."</p> +<p>"Are the sentries very close together?"</p> +<p>"They are pretty close, but not too close to prevent our +crawling between them, unobserved, on such a night as this."</p> +<p>Major Tempe hesitated for a while.</p> +<p>"It would be too hazardous," he said. "We know nothing of the +ground over which we should have to crawl, and it would be hardly +possible for thirty men--with our accouterments, and firearms--to +crawl along without snapping sticks, or striking rifles against a +stone and giving the alarm.</p> +<p>"No, the sentry at the entrance of the village must be +silenced."</p> +<p>So saying, the commandant turned to the men who were standing +round, and explained briefly the purport of the whispered +conversation which he had had with Ralph. He then chose two active +young men, and told them to take off their cloaks, belts, and +accouterments of all kinds; and to leave them, with their rifles, +with the men who were to remain at the spot at which they then +were--to cover their retreat, if necessary. They were to take +nothing with them but their sword bayonets--which were not to be +used, except in case of necessity--and a coil of light rope. +Definite instructions were given them as to the manner in which +their attack was to be made.</p> +<p>They then took off their boots, and set off noiselessly upon +their enterprise. They went on rapidly, until they were within +plain hearing of the footsteps of the sentinel; and then very +cautiously and, crouching almost to the ground, so as not to bring +their bodies on a level with his eye, they crept up foot by foot to +the end of his beat. Here they waited a short time, while he passed +and repassed them, unthinking of the deadly foe who, had they +stretched out their hands, could have touched his cloak as he went +past them.</p> +<p>At last, the second time he passed them on his way towards the +village, they rose together behind him. In an instant one had +garroted him--with a choking grip, that almost strangled him, and +prevented him uttering the slightest sound--while the other grasped +his rifle by the lock, so as to prevent the possibility of its +being fired. In another instant, the rifle was torn from the grasp +of the almost stupefied man; cords were passed tightly round his +arms and legs; a handkerchief was thrust into his mouth, and +fastened there by a cord going across the mouth and tied behind the +head and, before the bewildered man fairly knew what had happened, +he was lying bound and gagged by the roadside.</p> +<p>One of the franc tireurs now ran back, to tell the commandant +that the men could advance; while the other--selected specially +because he understood a little German--put on the spiked helmet of +the captured sentry, and began to walk up and down, in readiness to +repeat the cry of "All well," should it be passed round.</p> +<p>The whole company were now moved up. Ten men were left at the +point where the sentry was posted, to cover a retreat; or to assist +the sentry, in case of any party coming out to relieve guard, and +so discovering the change which had taken place. The others, led by +the commandant, proceeded forward until opposite the priest's +house, in which lights were still burning; for it was not, as yet, +ten o'clock.</p> +<p>Major Tempe, accompanied only by two men--and by Ralph Barclay, +to interpret, if necessary--now went cautiously up to the house. +The light was in a room on the ground floor. To this Major Tempe +advanced and, looking in, saw the priest sitting reading, alone. He +tapped very gently at the window; and the priest, looking up, gave +a start upon seeing an armed man looking in at the window.</p> +<p>Major Tempe put his finger to his lips, to enforce the necessity +for silence, and made signs to him to open the window. After a +moment's hesitation the priest rose from his seat, came to the +window, and unfastened it; taking great precautions against +noise.</p> +<p>"Are you French?" he asked, in a whisper.</p> +<p>"Yes; a commandant of franc tireurs."</p> +<p>"Hush, then, for your life," the priest said, earnestly. "The +village is full of Prussians. The officer, with a soldier as his +servant, is upstairs. He arrived in a state of fever; and is, +tonight, quite ill. The soldier is up with him. I believe the +sergeant, who is at the inn, is in command for to-night. A soldier +was dispatched, this evening, to ask for another officer to be sent +out.</p> +<p>"What can I do for you?"</p> +<p>"I only want you to tell me in which house the schoolmaster +lives. He is a traitor, and has betrayed us to the Prussians. It is +owing to him that they are here."</p> +<p>"He has a bad name, in the village," the priest said; "and we +had applied to have him removed. He lives in the third house from +here, on the same side of the road."</p> +<p>"Has he any Germans quartered upon him?"</p> +<p>"Twenty or thirty men," the priest said. "The schoolroom is full +of them."</p> +<p>"Do you know which is his room?" Major Tempe asked. "It would be +a great thing, if we could get at him without alarming the enemy. I +have thirty men here, but I do not want to have a fight in the +village, if I can help it."</p> +<p>"I know his house," the priest said. "The schoolroom is at the +side of the house, and his sitting room and kitchen on the ground +floor of the house itself. There are three bedrooms over. His room +is in front of the house, to the right as you face it."</p> +<p>"Thank you," Major Tempe said. "Have you a ladder?"</p> +<p>"There is one lying on the ground by the wall, to the left. I +hope you do not intend to shed blood?"</p> +<p>"No," Major Tempe said, grimly. "I think that I can promise that +there will be no blood shed--that is to say, unless we are attacked +by the Prussians.</p> +<p>"Good night, and thank you. I need not say that--for your own +sake--you will not mention, in the morning, having seen us."</p> +<p>The commandant now rejoined his party, and they advanced to the +house indicated. He then chose ten men to accompany him; ordering +the rest to remain at a distance of twenty yards, with their rifles +cocked, and in readiness for instant action. The ladder was then +brought forward by the men selected, and placed against the +window.</p> +<p>Major Tempe had, before starting, provided himself--from the +carpenter of the village--with an auger, a small and fine saw, a +bottle of oil, and a thin strip of straight iron. He now mounted +the ladder and, after carefully examining the window--which was of +the make which we call, in England, latticed--he inserted the strip +of iron, and tried to force back the fastening. This he failed in +doing, being afraid to use much force lest the fastening should +give suddenly, with a crash. He had, however, ascertained the exact +position of the fastening.</p> +<p>Having, before mounting, carefully oiled the auger and saw, he +now applied the former; and made a hole through the framework at +the junction of the two sides of the window, just above the +fastening. Introducing the saw into this hole, he noiselessly cut +entirely round the fastening, with a semi-circular sweep, to the +junction of the window below it; and as he did so, the window swung +partially open, by its own weight. He now descended the ladder +again, took off his boots; and ordered two of the men to do the +same, and to put aside all arms, and accouterments, that could +strike against anything and make a noise.</p> +<p>Then, taking a coil of strong rope in his hand, and followed by +the two men, he again mounted the ladder. The instructions to the +men were that one was to enter at once, with him; the other to +remain where he was, until he received the signal. The major +entered the room noiselessly, and dropped at once on to his hands +and knees; and was, a minute after, joined by his follower. He now +crawled forward--groping his way with the greatest caution, so as +to make no noise--until he found the bed. Then, rising to his feet, +he threw himself upon the sleeping man and, in a moment, had him +tightly by the throat with one hand, while the other was placed +firmly on his mouth.</p> +<p>Paralyzed by the suddenness of the attack, and with his arms +tightly kept down by the bedclothes, and the weight of his +assailant, the schoolmaster was unable to struggle.</p> +<p>"Now, light the light," Major Tempe said, quietly.</p> +<p>His follower at once struck one of the noiseless German +matches--which are used almost exclusively, in these parts of +France--and lighted a lamp which was standing upon the table. He +then came up to the bed, and assisted the major to securely gag and +bind the prisoner--whose looks, when he saw into whose hands he had +fallen, betokened the wildest terror.</p> +<p>"Search his pockets," Major Tempe said. "We may find something +of importance."</p> +<p>In the breast pocket of his coat was a pocket book; and in it +among the papers was a letter, from the colonel commanding at +Saverne--which had evidently been brought to him by the officer of +the detachment, that morning--telling him to come down to Saverne, +on the following evening, to guide the troops to the village in +which the franc tireurs were stationed. The letter also enclosed +ten hundred-thaler notes [a thaler is about equal to two +shillings].</p> +<p>"They are part of our blood money," the major said, grimly. +"Bring them away, they are the fair spoil of war.</p> +<p>"Tell Barre to come in."</p> +<p>The man on the ladder now joined them; and together they quietly +lifted the schoolmaster, and carried him to the window. They then +fastened a rope round the prisoner's body, lifted him out on to the +ladder, and lowered him gradually down to the men below.</p> +<p>They now blew out the light, and descended the ladder. The two +men who had waited at its foot raised the prisoner on their +shoulders, and carried him off to their comrades; while the +commandant and the other two men hastily put on their boots, seized +their arms and accouterments and, in two minutes, the whole party +were marching quietly down the village. No incident, whatever, +marked their retreat. The sentry had been undisturbed, during their +absence; and in a few minutes the whole party were out of the +village, without the slightest alarm having been raised.</p> +<p>They followed the road by which they had come, for about a mile; +and then turned off a side path in the forest, to the left. They +followed this for a short distance, only, into the forest; and +then, when they arrived at a small, open space, a halt was ordered. +The prisoner was dropped unceremoniously to the ground, by the two +franc tireurs who carried him on their shoulders, and a fire was +speedily lighted.</p> +<p>Major Tempe then ordered the prisoner to be unbound and ungagged +and, with a guard upon either side of him, to be placed in front of +the company--drawn up in a semi-circle by the fire. The prisoner +was a man of about fifty-five, with a sallow, cunning face. He +could scarcely stand and, indeed, would have sunk on his knees, in +his abject terror, had not the guards by his side held him by the +arms.</p> +<p>"Men," Major Tempe said, "undoubted as the guilt of the prisoner +appeared to be, we had got no absolute proof; and a mistake might +have been possible, as to the name of the village whose +schoolmaster had betrayed us. This letter found in his coat pocket, +and this German money--the price of our blood--leave no further +doubt possible."</p> +<p>And here the major read the Prussian colonel's letter.</p> +<p>"Are you still of opinion that he merits death?"</p> +<p>"Yes, yes," the men exclaimed, unanimously.</p> +<p>"Prisoner," Major Tempe said, "you have heard your sentence. You +are a convicted traitor--convicted of having betrayed your country, +convicted of having sold the blood of your countrymen. I give you +five minutes to ask that pardon, of God, which you cannot obtain +from man."</p> +<p>The miserable wretch gave a cry of terror, and fell on his +knees; and would have crawled towards his judge, to beg for mercy, +had not his guard restrained him. For the next five minutes, the +forest rang with alternate cries, entreaties, threats, and +curses--so horrible that the four boys, and several of the younger +men, put their hands to their ears and walked away, so as not to +see or hear the terrible punishment. At the end of that time there +was a brief struggle, and then a deep silence; and the body of the +traitor swung from a branch of one of the trees, with a paper +pinned on his breast:</p> +<p>"So perish all traitors."</p> +<p>"Louis Duburg," Major Tempe said, "take this paper, with 'Those +who seek a traitor will find him here,' and fasten it to a tree; so +that it may be seen at the point where this path turned from the +road."</p> +<p>Louis took it, and ran off. In a quarter of an hour, when he +returned, he found the company drawn up in readiness to march. He +fell in at once, and the troop moved off; leaving behind them the +smoldering fire, and the white figure swinging near it.</p> +<h2><a name="Ch9" id="Ch9">Chapter 9</a>: A Desperate Fight.</h2> +<p>Daylight was just breaking, when Major Tempe marched with his +men into Marmontier; at which place the other three companies had +arrived, the night previously. It was a large village--the chief +place of its canton--and the corps were most hospitably received by +the inhabitants. Had they arrived the evening before, it would have +been impossible to provide them all with beds; and they would have +been obliged, like the majority of their comrades, to sleep on +straw in the schoolroom. The inhabitants, however, were up and +about, very shortly after the arrival of Major Tempe's command; and +his men were soon provided for, in the beds which they had +left.</p> +<p>Beds were now a luxury, indeed, as the corps had not slept in +them since they had been quartered at Baccarat, two nights before +their first encounter with the Prussians, near Blamont. It was with +great unwillingness, then, that they turned out when the bugle +sounded, at two o'clock in the afternoon. They partook of a hearty +meal--provided by the people upon whom they were quartered--and an +hour later the whole corps marched out towards Wasselonne, a small +town situated on the Breuche; a little river which, winding round +by Molsheim, falls into the Rhine at Strasburg. A branch line of +railroad terminates at this place.</p> +<p>When they arrived within three miles of it, they turned off to +the right--for Wasselonne had frequently been visited by the +Prussians--and slept at the little village of Casswiller, at the +edge of the forest of OEdenwald. Another day's short, but weary, +marching over the mountains brought them to the village of Still; +lying high upon the western slope of the Vosges, above Mutzig.</p> +<p>From this point they had a splendid view over the valley of the +Rhine. From their feet, at Mutzig, the railway ran through Molsheim +straight across the country to Strasburg; the beautiful spire of +whose cathedral rose above the flats, at a distance of about +fifteen miles. The day happened to be a quiet one, and the deep +booming of the guns of the besiegers could be distinctly heard. The +inhabitants reported that the German troops patrolled the whole +valley, pushing sometimes down to the walls of Schlestadt, levying +contributions and carrying off cattle.</p> +<p>The village was very poor, and was able to furnish little +accommodation in the way of quarters, still less in that of food. +Six of the villagers were, therefore, sent through the forest of +OEdenwald to Raon; with an order to fetch over two oxen, and thirty +sheep, of those left there in charge of the head man of the +village. They returned in three days, Raon being only about fifteen +miles east of Still.</p> +<p>The corps was now broken up into its four companies; who were +stationed in the villages on the Vosges, and at the edge of the +forest of Trieswald and Bar--the first company remaining at Still. +From these villages they commanded a view over the whole plain; and +could, with the aid of glasses, distinctly see any bodies of men +going south from Strasburg. Each company was to act independently +of the other, uniting their forces only when ordered to do so by +Major Tempe; who took up his headquarters with the second company, +that having the most central position. Each company was to keep a +sharp watch over the country, to attack any body of the enemy not +superior to themselves in force, and to cut off, if possible, any +small parties pillaging in the villages of the valley, near the +foot of the mountains.</p> +<p>The first company--under their lieutenant, De Maupas--turned +their special attention to Mutzig; which was not, they learned, +actually occupied by the Germans, but which was frequently visited +by parties from Molsheim, where a portion of the army of the +besiegers was stationed. The young Barclays, their cousins, and Tim +Doyle were quartered together, in one of the largest houses in the +village; and from thence a fine view over the plain was +attainable.</p> +<p>They were not destined to remain long in inactivity. Upon the +fourth day after their arrival, they saw a party of some twenty +horsemen approaching Mutzig. In five minutes every man had +assembled and, at once, rapidly marched down the hill; taking +advantage of its irregularities, so as to follow a track in which +they would be invisible from the road. Making a long detour, they +gained the road about half a mile beyond Mutzig and, posting +themselves among some trees by its side, awaited the return of the +Uhlans.</p> +<p>It was upwards of two hours before they returned. They were +laughing, and singing; and the boys felt a sensation of repugnance, +as they raised their rifles to their shoulders, and awaited the +order to fire into their unsuspecting foes. They had not, as yet, +become hardened to the horrors of war. As the word was given, the +rifles flashed out; and six of the horsemen fell. The rest, putting +spurs to their horses, galloped furiously away. Molsheim was so +close--and the enemy might come back again, largely reinforced, in +so short a time--that the order was given to retreat, at once.</p> +<p>Reaching the hill and looking back, an hour later, they saw a +dark mass coming from Molsheim; and the glasses soon made them out +to be about a hundred cavalry, and as many infantry. It was dark as +they entered Mutzig and--although it was not probable that they +would ascend the hill, at night--sentries were thrown out, far down +its sides, to give the alarm; and the men were ordered to hold +themselves in readiness for an immediate retreat to the forest. It +happened that none of the boys were on duty and, just as they were +sitting down to dinner, Tim--who had been out to fetch some +wood--came running in.</p> +<p>"Heavenly Mother! The brutes are setting fire to Mutzig, your +honor."</p> +<p>The boys ran out. Below, a mass of red flame was rising; and it +was evident that several houses were in flames. The sight was a +grand one, for the light showed the outline of the slopes of the +hills and, reflected on the roofs of the houses of the little town, +made them look as if red hot. Out upon the plain, round Molsheim, +were the scattered lights of innumerable camp fires while, in the +distance, flickering flashes--like the play of summer +lightning--told of the ceaseless rain of fire kept up upon the +unhappy town of Strasburg.</p> +<p>"What a shame!" Percy said, indignantly; "as if the inhabitants +of Mutzig could help our attacking the Uhlans.</p> +<p>"Look, Ralph, there are six distinct fires."</p> +<p>"I suppose that is one for each man we killed or wounded, Percy. +You may be sure they will make them pay, too. Thirty thousand +francs, I should think, at least.</p> +<p>"War used to be looked upon as a chivalrous proceeding. There is +no romance in German warfare. They call us a nation of shopkeepers; +they make war, themselves, in the spirit of a nation of petty +hucksterers."</p> +<p>"What do you think of that, lads?" Lieutenant de Maupas said, +coming up to where they were standing.</p> +<p>"It is shameful, sir, shameful," Ralph said.</p> +<p>"Yes," the officer said, gloomily. "This is to make war as the +Vandals made it, not as it is made in the nineteenth century. In +the Crimea, in Italy--ay, even in China--we did not make war in +this way. In China we burnt the Emperor's summer palace, because +his soldiers had murdered our prisoners in cold blood, but we did +not burn a single village."</p> +<p>"No," Ralph said; "and I have read that, in Abyssinia, we never +as much as took a fowl or a bundle of grass from the natives, +without paying for it; and we only burned the fortress of Magdala +after offering it, in succession, to the various kings of the +country; and destroyed it, at last, to prevent it becoming a +stronghold of the Gallas--the enemies of Abyssinia.</p> +<p>"Don't you think," he asked, after a pause, "we shall have +fighting tomorrow, sir?"</p> +<p>"I think it very likely, indeed," the lieutenant said. "I have +just sent off a messenger to the commandant, with a full report; +and asked him to send over a reply whether he will come to our +assistance, or if we are to fall back."</p> +<p>"Faith, and I hope that it's not falling back we'll be, till +after we've had the satisfaction of spaking to them a bit," Tim +Doyle put in. "Barring the little affair of today--which isn't +worth mentioning--I haven't had a chance of a scrimmage since I +joined the corps. It's been jist marching and counter-marching, +over the most onraisonable country; nothing but up hill and down +hill and through trees, with big stones breaking our poor feet into +pieces, and the rain running down us fit to give us the ague.</p> +<p>"Sure, lieutenant, ye won't be for marching us away, till we've +had a little divarshin?"</p> +<p>The boys all laughed at Tim's complaint, which had been +delivered in English; for although he could now understand French, +he never attempted to speak it, except to ask some necessary +question. Percy translated it to the lieutenant.</p> +<p>"You will have fighting enough, before you have done, Tim. +Whether you will have it tomorrow, I don't know. There are a +hundred infantry--they can't use their cavalry--and we are only +twenty-six men, all told. Fortunately, we have a strong line of +retreat; or I should not even wait for the chance of being +attacked."</p> +<p>"At any rate, you think that we are safe until morning, +sir?"</p> +<p>"Yes, I think so," the lieutenant said.</p> +<p>"Then we will go in to our dinner," Ralph said. "Who knows where +we may dine, tomorrow?"</p> +<p>Day was just beginning to break, when Percy Barclay started up +in his bed. He listened for an instant, and heard the crack of a +rifle.</p> +<p>"Up, Ralph; up all of you!" he shouted. "We are attacked."</p> +<p>The others were on their feet in an instant. None of them had +thought of undressing and, as they seized their arms and +equipments, the whistle of Lieutenant de Maupas sounded loud and +shrill. As they issued out there was, already, a scene of bustle +and confusion in the village. The franc tireurs were rushing from +the doors. The villagers were also pouring out, women screaming and +men swearing.</p> +<p>"You had better drive off your animals up into the forest, and +carry off whatever you can of value, and send the women and +children off, at once," De Maupas shouted, to the head man of the +village. "We will give you as much time as we can but, if they are +in full strength, it will not be long.</p> +<p>"Now, lads, forward! Don't throw away a shot. Take advantage of +every possible cover, and fall back as slowly and steadily as you +can. The commandant will be here, with the second company, in half +an hour. I had a message from him, late last night."</p> +<p>The men advanced at once, at the double, and in an instant had a +view of what was going on. The six men out, as sentries, were +falling back rapidly towards the village; and two dark bodies of +infantry were approaching, abreast of each other, but at a distance +of two or three hundred yards apart. They were some five hundred +yards beyond the retreating sentries; who were, themselves, a few +hundred yards below the village. The enemy had, at present, made no +reply whatever to the fire of the sentries.</p> +<p>"Advance slowly, in skirmishing order," De Maupas said. "One +flank of the company oppose each column. Open fire at once, sight +for seven hundred yards, take advantage of cover, and fire +steadily."</p> +<p>A steady fire was at once opened and, although its effects could +not be perceived, they were evidently sensible; for the columns +immediately threw out half their strength, as skirmishers, and +opened fire. In a hundred paces De Maupas halted his men, and told +them to lie down behind shelter.</p> +<p>The enemy were now five hundred yards off, and the franc tireurs +had been joined by the sentries. The numbers were four to one and, +although the position was of considerable advantage to the smaller +force--as well as the fact that they were lying quiet, in shelter, +while their adversaries had to fire as they advanced--the odds were +far too great to hope for success. Every moment, however, it was +getting lighter; and the franc tireurs could see that their fire +was doing considerable execution, whereas only two of their men had +received slight wounds. The enemy, however, pushed on steadily; and +were now little more than three hundred yards distant.</p> +<p>"Fall back," the lieutenant shouted; "six men, alternately, of +each half company. Back fifty paces, at the double!"</p> +<p>At the word, twelve men retreated, at full speed, for fifty +yards; the others redoubling the fire from their breechloaders, to +cover the retreat. The instant that the first men had gone fifty +yards, they turned, threw themselves upon the ground, and opened +fire; while those in front ran back at full speed, passed them, and +halted, in turn, fifty paces in the rear. The maneuver was repeated +three times, and they then gained the end house of the village.</p> +<p>Under shelter of a low wall, another stand was made; but the +superior force of the enemy enabled them to threaten to outflank +them. Many of the Germans had fallen; but the rest advanced, with +as much coolness and precision as if on parade.</p> +<p>"How beautifully these fellows do fight!" Ralph exclaimed, in +admiration.</p> +<p>"Now, lads, we must retreat," the lieutenant said. "We have done +very well. Now, across the village, and then make for the forest as +hard as you can. It's not over five hundred yards. When you are +once there, make a stand again."</p> +<p>The men turned and, in another moment, would have carried out +the order when--from a house in a line with them, but about fifty +yards off--a heavy fire of musketry suddenly broke out.</p> +<p>"Hurrah, lads, there's the commandant! Stand to your wall; we'll +thrash them, yet."</p> +<p>Staggered by this sudden and heavy fire, the Germans paused; and +then fell back, to a spot where a dip in the ground sheltered them +from the fire from above. For a short time, there was a cessation +of the fight. At this moment, the commandant joined the first +company.</p> +<p>"Well done, indeed!" he exclaimed. "Gallantly done, lads! We +heard the firing, and feared you would be crushed before we could +get up. It is fortunate I started half an hour before daybreak. We +have done the last two miles at a run.</p> +<p>"Have you suffered much?"</p> +<p>There was a general look round. Four men had fallen, in the +retreat. Another lay dead, shot through the head as he fired over +the wall. Four others were wounded; three seriously, while Ralph +Barclay had a ball through the fleshy part of his arm.</p> +<p>"Fortunately," Major Tempe said, "half a dozen men from the +other village volunteered to come over to help the wounded. I will +send them over here, at once. They can take some doors off their +hinges, and carry these three men right back into the forest, at +once. We have not done yet.</p> +<p>"Get your men into skirmishing line, De Maupas. I will form mine +to join you. Occupy the line of gardens, and walls."</p> +<p>Scarcely was the movement effected, when the Germans again +appeared on the hillside. They had still a very great superiority +in numbers; for the two companies of franc tireurs only numbered, +now, forty-five men, while the Germans--who had lost upwards of +twenty men--were still nearly eighty strong.</p> +<p>Ralph Barclay still kept his place in the ranks. Tim Doyle had +bandaged up his arm; for Percy, who had at first attempted it, had +nearly fainted at the sight of the blood. The Irishman was in the +highest glee; and occasionally indulged in whoops of defiance, and +in taunting remarks--which would not have flattered the enemy, +could they have heard and understood them.</p> +<p>The Germans, as they emerged from their shelter, were about four +hundred yards distant; and the fire at once recommenced. The franc +tireurs were all lying down, and this gave them a great advantage +over the Germans and, the disparity of numbers being less, the +fight raged with greater obstinacy than before. Very gradually, the +enemy won their way--taking advantage of every rock and inequality +of ground--until they were within two hundred yards of the village. +Nearer than this they could not come, for the ground was open and, +in the face of the force in shelter, armed with breech loaders, it +would have been madness to have attempted a rush.</p> +<p>For some time, the combatants remained in the same position; +merely exchanging an occasional shot, when a head or a hat was +exposed. At last, Major Tempe became uneasy at the prolonged +inaction upon the part of the enemy.</p> +<p>"De Maupas," he said, "run up to the upper story of that house, +and try and see what they are doing. Look all round. I don't like +this long hesitation. They are greatly superior in force, and know +it. I think that they must be going to try some flanking +movement."</p> +<p>The lieutenant obeyed and, going up to the upper story of the +house pointed out by his commander, peered cautiously out. As far +as he could see, nothing was stirring. The Germans appeared to be +lying in the little hollow in which they were sheltered. He was +about to descend, when he remembered his orders to look around in +all directions. He therefore went to a window at the end of the +house, and looked carefully out.</p> +<p>As he did so he gave a start; and his heart seemed, for a +moment, to stand still. Then, with a bound, he reached the door, +sprang downstairs, and rushed out to where Major Tempe was +standing, behind a wall.</p> +<p>"The cavalry are upon us," he said. "They are not five hundred +yards off. They have made a great detour and are--"</p> +<p>Major Tempe stopped to hear no more.</p> +<p>"Fall back, men," he shouted. "Keep well together. The cavalry +are upon us. Now, at a double to the forest, for your lives.</p> +<p>"Steady, steady!"</p> +<p>The men sprang from the position behind which they had been +firing, fell in hurriedly in the street; and then went off, at a +fast double, towards the forest. There were a few trees near, but +no shelter sufficient to be of any use nearer than five hundred +yards. Fortunately they were unimpeded by wounded, every man having +been carried back into the forest, immediately he was struck. +Still, it was evident that they could not gain the forest in time. +They had seen the leading horsemen turn into the end of the +village, not more than three hundred yards distant, as they +started; and the carbine balls were already whizzing over their +heads.</p> +<p>With the rapidity and steadiness which mark the movements of the +Prussian cavalry, they formed in line as they issued from the +village and, before the fugitives were halfway to the forest, a +line of horsemen, fifty abreast, were in full gallop behind. Then +followed another, of equal strength, fifty yards behind. The franc +tireurs, with their rifles and accouterments, were already +slackening their speed.</p> +<p>"We must form square, major. They are not a hundred and fifty +yards behind," De Maupas exclaimed. "We can beat them off, easily +enough."</p> +<p>Major Tempe shook his head, and shouted cheerily:</p> +<p>"Keep on to the last moment, men, well together. I will tell you +when the moment is come. Hold your rifles in readiness."</p> +<p>In ten more seconds, he gave the word. The men were in +readiness, and the square was formed as if by magic. The Uhlans +were not more than eighty yards off.</p> +<p>"File firing," the major shouted. "Steady! Don't throw away a +shot."</p> +<p>Now was the time for breech-loading weapons, and so deadly was +the fire that the center of the Prussian line melted away before +it; and the men who remained reined aside their horses, as they +reached the hedge of bayonets. The flanks kept on, and united again +behind the square; drawing up near the edge of the wood, a hundred +and fifty yards distant.</p> +<p>The charge of the second line was attended with precisely +similar results. The instant that they had passed, however, Major +Tempe shouted to his men:</p> +<p>"On again for the woods. Steady! Keep square. Reserve your fire +till I tell you. We must break through the cavalry. They only want +to keep us. Their infantry will be here in three minutes. They are +through the village, already."</p> +<p>The position of the franc tireurs was now critical in the +extreme. The enemy's cavalry--between them and safety, only a +hundred yards distant--had unslung their carbines, and opened fire. +The infantry were nearly two hundred yards behind but, fortunately, +dared not fire for fear of hitting their own cavalry.</p> +<p>At a rapid pace--for they were running for life--the little knot +of franc tireurs dashed forward. One or two fell from the fire of +the cavalry and, as they were fifty yards distant from the wood, +there was a cry and Philippe Duburg fell to the ground. In an +instant Tim Doyle--who was his next man--stopped, caught him up as +if he had been a feather and, with a desperate effort, again joined +the others, just as they were within twenty yards of the +cavalry.</p> +<p>"Fire!" Major Tempe cried; and from the front, and from each +side of the little square--which was but six deep, either way--the +rifles flashed out.</p> +<p>"Level bayonets; charge!"</p> +<p>There was a short struggle. The second ranks poured their fire +into the cavalry line. There was a clashing of bayonets against +swords, and then the band ran through the broken line of cavalry. +There was a rush into the brushwood; and then, from behind the +shelter of the trees, the fire opened again; and the cavalry fell +sullenly back, having lost upwards of thirty men in that short five +minutes since they had left the village.</p> +<p>The German infantry halted, at a distance of two hundred yards; +but they would have lost too many men, in crossing the open, to +make it worth while to attack the sheltered foe--who could pick +them off, to the last moment, only to withdraw deeper into the +forest when they approached its edge. Accordingly they too fell +back, exchanging fire with the franc tireurs until they gained the +shelter of the village.</p> +<p>The conflict over. The men sank, exhausted, upon the ground +where they stood. Major Tempe went round to each; saying a word of +praise, and giving a little of the brandy--with which he had filled +his canteen, before starting--with some water from their own kegs. +Then he gave a sharp whistle, and the men again gathered round +him.</p> +<p>"Once more, lads, I must thank you for your conduct," he said. +"You have defended yourselves against forces, altogether, four +times your own. You fairly kept at bay an infantry force of twice +your own number. You have withstood a charge of cavalry, also +double your own strength; and have performed the unusual feat of +successfully charging cavalry. You have inflicted a very heavy loss +upon the enemy. Not less than forty of the infantry must have been +placed hors de combat; and fifteen or twenty of the cavalry, at the +lowest estimate. Altogether, although forced to fall back, the +affair is more creditable than many a brilliant victory.</p> +<p>"Our own loss has been heavy--as heavy, in proportion to our +numbers, as that of the enemy--though, owing to an advantage of +position, while engaged with the infantry, it is actually far less +than theirs. Still, lads, it is very, very heavy," and the major +looked round, with a saddened face, on the diminished band.</p> +<p>"Our only consolation is that our friends have died doing their +duty, and setting a noble example. If all Frenchmen were but +animated with a spirit like that which, I am proud to say, animates +the franc tireurs of Dijon, there are few of the invaders who would +ever recross the Rhine.</p> +<p>"Lieutenant Ribouville, go through the muster roll of the two +companies. Our brave friend De Maupas has, alas! fallen. He was at +my side when a rifle ball struck him, in the temple."</p> +<p>The list was now called over, and the result was a sad one. The +two companies, including officers, had gone into the fight +fifty-five strong. Only thirty-one answered to their names. Besides +these, eight had been removed farther into the forest, severely +wounded; and Philippe Duburg lay a short distance off--the surgeon +being employed bandaging his leg, which a rifle ball had entered, +above the knee. Fifteen, therefore, were dead or missing--which, as +the Germans bayoneted all wounded franc tireurs, was the same +thing. Of the thirty-one who answered to their names, nine had +wounds more or less severe; and the surgeon, with his assistants, +had work on his hands which would take him far into the night.</p> +<p>The instant that they were dismissed from parade, the boys +hurried to their cousin. He was very pale from loss of blood, but +was perfectly sensible. His brother sat on a bench beside him, +holding his head on his knee.</p> +<p>Philippe smiled faintly as the boys came up.</p> +<p>"I am so glad you have escaped," he said, in a low voice.</p> +<p>They clasped his hand.</p> +<p>"Does it hurt you much, Philippe?"</p> +<p>"Not very much; not so much as I should have thought."</p> +<p>"Did the doctor say anything about it, Philippe?"</p> +<p>"Yes, he said that it had just missed the great arteries; and +that he thinks it struck the bone, and has glanced up somewhere; +but he can't say till he probes it, when--"</p> +<p>"Then your leg is not broken?"</p> +<p>"No, he says it is certainly not broken, but it may be +splintered."</p> +<p>"Thank God for that, anyhow," the boys said.</p> +<p>"We owe his life to Tim Doyle," Louis said. "I was not next to +him; and did not see him fall, or know he was hit till I saw Tim +come up, with him on his shoulders--and even if I had, I could not +have lifted him, and carried him off. Tim saved his life. There is +no doubt about that."</p> +<p>As it was evident that Philippe was too weak to talk, and would +be better for being quiet awhile, the boys now left him with his +brother.</p> +<p>Looking through the trees towards the village, a dense smoke +could now be seen rising in several places and, in a few minutes, +the whole village was in a blaze. Moved by the sight, the +unfortunate inhabitants came out from their hiding places in the +forest; wringing their hands, crying, and cursing the invaders. In +spite of the advice of Major Tempe, several of the women went off +towards the scene of conflagration, to endeavor to save some little +household treasure from the flames. In a short time one of them +returned to fetch her husband, saying that the enemy had all left +before they reached the village, and were already far down the +hillside. Major Tempe at once sent forward the unwounded men; to +assist the villagers to put out the fire, and to save property. +Their efforts were, however, altogether unavailing; the Germans had +scattered large quantities of petroleum, before leaving, upon the +beds and such other furniture as they could not carry away, or +destroy.</p> +<p>It was a pitiable sight to see the poor homeless people sitting +about, looking at the ruins of their houses. Some cried piteously; +others gazed with listless faces, but with a cold despair even more +painful to see. Fortunately, they had saved all their animals but, +at present, they were too much absorbed in the thoughts of what +they had lost, to bestow even a thought of satisfaction on what +they had saved.</p> +<p>Major Tempe, grieved and touched at the painful scene of which +he and his men had been the cause, called the franc tireurs +together; and made a proposition to them, which was at once +heartily agreed to. He then called together the cure and +schoolmaster and--after a few well-chosen words of regret, at the +ills which he and his had involuntarily brought upon the +village--he handed over to them, in the name of the whole corps, +the hundred pounds in thaler notes which had been found upon the +schoolmaster whom they had executed for treachery; to be +distributed among the inhabitants, according to their +necessities.</p> +<p>The offer was gratefully received, and the priest and +schoolmaster at once went round and told the poor people, whose +gratitude and delight were unbounded. To so poor a population, the +sum seemed immense; and although it would not replace what was +destroyed, it would go far towards making their abodes habitable. +The village only contained about twenty houses. The walls were +still standing. Timber for the roofs and floors was to be had for +cutting, in the forest. Bushes for thatching could be found in +abundance. The principal portion of the houses, therefore, would +cost only labor, and this money would suffice to keep them alive, +while engaged upon it; and enough would remain to get at least a +few blankets to lay upon the straw--which would, for the time, +serve for beds--together with a few other simple necessaries. The +sale of a portion of the animals would do the rest and, in their +gratitude to the franc tireurs, for having thus relieved their +first and most pressing difficulties, the inhabitants altogether +forgot the ill-feeling which they had before felt against them, as +the authors of their disaster.</p> +<p>After burying their dead, the men set to work to assist the +villagers in building temporary huts--or rather bowers--to the edge +of the forest; in which, before nightfall, they had the +satisfaction of seeing them installed. The few articles of bedding, +blankets, etc. saved at the approach of the Prussians were spread +on heaps of freshly-cut grass; and one of the oxen of the franc +tireurs, which had arrived the day before, was killed and divided. +Great fires were lighted and--had it not been for the bandages on +the heads, and the arms in slings of several of the franc +tireurs--no one coming upon the scene would have guessed how +desperate a skirmish had raged here.</p> +<p>The next day the carts which had been sent for arrived; and the +wounded were placed in them, upon heaps of straw, and sent off with +one of the surgeons; with instructions to travel among the hills, +until they reached a point where it would be quite safe to descend +into the valley, and take the train to Dijon, at the first station +at which it was open. Among them was Philippe Duburg, who was +accompanied by his brother. Louis had obtained a week's leave of +absence, for the purpose; and was the bearer of letters, and +innumerable messages, from the boys to their parents and sisters. A +few hours later, the remnants of the first and second companies +marched to join their comrades.</p> +<h2><a name="Ch10" id="Ch10">Chapter 10</a>: The Bridge Of The Vesouze.</h2> +<p>The very day after the fight, news arrived which induced a +sudden change of position. Upon the Sixteenth of September the +Baden troops occupied Mulhouse, having entered Colmar on the +preceding day. It was evident that the railway was so strongly +guarded, between Strasburg and Nancy, that it was hopeless to +expect to be able to interrupt it, seriously, with so small a force +as that at Major Tempe's command; still less possible was it to +render any assistance, whatever, to the doomed city of Strasburg. +After taking counsel, therefore, with his officers, Major Tempe +decided to march more to the south; so as to assist to oppose the +passage of the enemy west from Colmar, or Mulhouse, through the +passes of the Vosges.</p> +<p>The alarm was, however, but temporary for, having made +requisitions as usual, the Prussians retired; and the corps +returned to their old quarters. There another ten days passed; +spent not in ease, but in constant marchings and counter-marchings. +Whenever news arrived that any parties of Uhlans were approaching +the mountains, with the object of making requisitions, the corps +were instantly set in motion. Sometimes severe skirmishes were the +result. Sometimes the news turned out to be untrue and, after a +long day's march, and a night spent watching, the men had nothing +to do but to march back again.</p> +<p>Upon the 28th came the news of the surrender of Strasburg, upon +the preceding day, after one of the most heroic defenses in +history. There was now no doubt that the Germans would, ere long, +advance seriously. By this time, the total of the French forces +among the Vosges mountains was considerable. Scarce a day passed +without the arrival of a corps of franc tireurs and--had all these +corps been animated with a spirit such as that evinced by the franc +tireurs of Dijon; and had they acted in unity, with discipline and +intelligence--they might have rendered immense services to +France.</p> +<p>Unfortunately, this was very far from being the case. Very many +of the men had entered the ranks only to avoid being called upon to +go out with the Mobiles--or mobilized national guard. Others had +only entered from the impulse of the moment. Very many were +altogether unwilling to submit to any steady discipline while, in a +great number of cases, the corps were completely paralyzed from the +utter incapacity of their officers. Owing to these various causes, +the corps of franc tireurs distinguished themselves, in a great +number of cases, only by the extreme ingenuity and foresight which +they displayed in keeping at a prudent distance from the enemy. +Some, too, earned a bad name not only for themselves, but for the +whole body of franc tireurs, by their conduct towards the +villagers; helping themselves freely to what they required, and +making themselves almost as much dreaded by the peasantry as even +the Germans, themselves.</p> +<p>At the same time the villagers had, in very many cases, only +themselves to blame for the rough measures adopted by the franc +tireurs; for often, instead of doing all in their power for the men +who had taken up arms in the cause of France, the villagers looked +upon them only as strangers, out of whom the richest possible +harvest was to be obtained; and charged the most exorbitant prices +for all articles of necessity supplied to them. In fact, they +sometimes did not hesitate to say that they would not provide them, +at any price, with the provisions required; as these would be +wanted to satisfy the requisition of the Germans, upon their +arrival.</p> +<p>Perhaps in the whole world there is no class of people so +completely engrossed by the thought of gain as are the French +bourgeois, and rustic population. Every change of Government, every +political alteration, every law passed, is regarded by them simply, +and solely, from the view of how it will affect their own pockets. +Thus, instead of driving away their flocks and herds, at the +approach of the invaders; the people remained quietly in their +houses, and shamelessly trafficked with the invaders. This apathy, +faint heartedness, and want of patriotism, upon the part of the +inhabitants of the small towns and villages, caused innumerable +difficulties to the franc tireurs; and Major Tempe was sometimes +obliged to take the law into his own hands, when the villagers +absolutely refused to sell provisions, or to give quarters to his +men.</p> +<p>In these cases he summoned the priest, the schoolmaster, and two +other head men of the place, and formed a committee with them and +his own officers. These fixed a fair price upon the articles +required, and Major Tempe then sent round a notice to the effect +that, if these articles were furnished in two hours, they would be +paid for at the agreed rates; but that if not furnished, he should +quarter his men upon the inhabitants, in accordance with the size +of their houses, and should remain there at least a week--a threat +that never failed in producing the required effect.</p> +<p>It was but seldom, however, that the major encountered any +difficulties of this sort. The corps was, for the most part, +composed of men with some money. They had now, too, sold the sheep +and cattle which they had captured at Blamont; finding the +inconvenience of sending for them, whenever meat was required. The +proceeds of these, and of the horses captured at the same time, had +given them a good sum in their regimental chest; and they were, +therefore, able and willing to pay a fair price for such articles +as they required. Besides this, the report of the actions of +Blamont and Still had now widely circulated and--as a general +thing--the people were glad to do all in their power, for a corps +composed of men who really meant work, and had given good proofs of +their courage and energy.</p> +<p>By this time, the boys had received several letters from home; +and it may be readily imagined the pleasure these letters afforded +them. Major Tempe's official report of the doings of his corps had +been published in the Dijon papers and, from these, had been copied +far and wide through France; and the people of Dijon were not a +little proud of their corps. The names of the two Barclays had +appeared, in the report, as specially distinguishing themselves; +and their father had written, saying how pleased and gratified he +was at their conduct. Mrs. Barclay and Milly had also written; but +their expressions of pleasure were mingled with many hopes that the +boys would not expose themselves, unnecessarily.</p> +<p>The band had dwindled much, in the month since they left Dijon. +Upwards of thirty had been killed, or disabled, in the fights of +Blamont and Still. Half as many more had been killed or wounded in +smaller skirmishes; and ten or twelve had gone home, or into +hospital, completely knocked up with the hard work and exposure. +Only about sixty men, therefore, remained.</p> +<p>Schlestadt and Neu Brisach were now invested by the Germans and, +after waiting for a few days, to ascertain the course that they +were likely to take, Major Tempe determined (as General Cambriels +was forming an army, down by Besancon) to defend the upper passes +of the Vosges and--as it was rumored that a second German army was +likely to advance south, from Nancy--that he would recross the +Vosges, and aid in the defense against this second army of +invaders.</p> +<p>Three days' fatiguing marches brought them to Epinal; where the +boys, in accordance with their promise, went straight to the house +of the gentleman who had so hospitably served them, at their last +visit. Their friends were delighted to see them, and expressed +great regret that one of the party was missing. The boys were, +however, able to say that their last letter from Dijon had given +good accounts of Philippe Duburg, who was now considered out of +danger. There was, however, no hope of his being able to rejoin +them; as the surgeon considered it probable that his leg would be a +very long time, before it would be sufficiently healed to allow him +to use it.</p> +<p>Their host had read the account in the papers of the doings of +the franc tireurs; and his wife laughingly made a further apology +to the Barclays, and their cousin, for her remark at their first +visit about boys.</p> +<p>"My girls have talked about nothing else but your doings, ever +since we had the news of your attack upon the Uhlans, near +Blamont," she said. "One would think, from the interest they take +in the corps, that the whole future of France depended upon the +franc tireurs of Dijon."</p> +<p>The young Barclays laughed, and Percy muttered something under +his breath; while Louis Duburg replied, seriously, that he hoped +the franc tireurs of Dijon would always do their best to deserve +the kind thoughts of mademoiselles--at which piece of politeness +Percy muttered, "Bosh!"</p> +<p>Epinal had, as yet, escaped; but it was feared that, ere long, +the enemy would advance. The town looked deserted, for all the +young men had left with the Mobiles--or mobilized national +guard--and all men under forty were drilling, in readiness to march +at a moment's notice. No serious movement of the enemy, south of +Luneville, was as yet signalized.</p> +<p>After two days' rest, the corps again marched north; their +destination being kept a profound secret, even from the men. So +anxious, apparently, was Major Tempe that, this time, their object +should not be foiled by treachery; that after the first day's march +he left the main road and, having secured the services of a +peasant, as a guide, he made two long days' marches through +forests, and over mountains--avoiding even small villages. Four led +horses accompanied the march; one laden with the gun cotton, and +the other three carrying provisions, so that they might be +independent of the local supply. Each night they bivouacked in the +forests but, as the weather was now fine--although the nights were +cold--this was no hardship, whatever.</p> +<p>Upon the morning of the fourth day from their leaving Epinal, +Major Tempe told his men that he had learned, at Epinal, that the +line was no longer so closely guarded as before--the Germans being +confident, now, of the impotence of the French to harm them--and +that they were now in the forest of Moudan, within three miles of +the railway between Luneville and Rechicourt, on the line to +Strasburg. His intention was to reconnoiter that day and--if +success should be found possible--to attempt, at daybreak next +morning, to blow up the railway bridge over the Vesouze.</p> +<p>The news was received with great satisfaction, as the corps were +burning to distinguish themselves; and in no way could they do such +service as to cut the line of communication--although, as the +Germans were no longer dependent upon a single line, the advantage +would not be of so signal a nature as it would have been, could +they have cut it at the time when they first made the attempt. The +Barclays were naturally selected to reconnoiter and, as their +change of clothes had been always--by Major Tempe's orders--carried +on the baggage horse, they had no difficulty upon that score.</p> +<p>Their expedition was uneventful. At the village nearest to the +bridge, they went in and bought some cheese and other articles +and--after gaining all the information they were able, without +exciting attention--they made their way, through broken ground, to +a point near enough to the bridge to enable them to reconnoiter it, +undiscovered.</p> +<p>A sentry was posted at each end. At a cottage hard by were ten +others, while there were twenty in the village they had just left. +There were also sentries down the line; but these were far enough +apart to render it certain that they could not muster in time to +interfere, seriously, with the enterprise. With this information, +they returned to the forest.</p> +<p>A council of war was held; and it was decided that the news was +satisfactory, and that the attack should take place at daybreak. +Each man was instructed in the work he would have to perform. +Lieutenant Houdin, with thirty men, was to surprise the German +party in the village. The rest--having made a detour to avoid the +village--were to be in readiness to attack the posts near the +bridge, immediately a gun was fired in the village. The attack was +to be made at daybreak. From the bridge, to the nearest point where +the forest was thick enough to afford a safe shelter, was a +distance of about two miles.</p> +<p>As soon as it became dark, the camp fires were allowed to bum +low; and shortly afterwards the whole corps, with the exception of +the sentries, were sound asleep. At four o'clock they were roused, +and marched silently off in the appointed direction. By five +o'clock each party was at its post and, for half an hour, they lay +in expectancy. The Barclays were with Major Tempe's party, near the +bridge. Louis Duburg, and Tim, were with the party at the +village.</p> +<p>The attack upon the village was to take place at half-past five; +and never did moments appear so slow, to the boys, as those which +passed as they awaited the signal. At last the silence was broken +by the sharp crack of a rifle, followed by three or four +others.</p> +<p>"There goes the Prussian sentry, and there is our reply," Major +Tempe said. "Now, lads, forward!"</p> +<p>As he spoke, the sentry on the bridge fired his rifle; +immediately, this was repeated by the next sentry on the line, and +the signal was taken up by each sentry, until the sound died in the +distance. As it had done so, the franc tireurs had made a rush +forwards. They were met by a straggling discharge from the Germans +as, half asleep, they hurried out from the guard room. This was +answered by the fire of the franc tireurs, who surrounded them. +Five fell; and the others, surprised and panic stricken, threw down +their arms. They were instantly secured, and the bridge was at once +seized.</p> +<p>The firing still continued in the village; but in another five +minutes it ceased and, shortly afterwards, Louis Duburg ran up with +the tidings that the village was taken. The Germans, surprised in +their beds, had offered but a slight resistance. Four were killed, +and sixteen taken prisoners; one franc tireur, only, was slightly +wounded.</p> +<p>"Take two men with you," Major Tempe said, "and escort those +five prisoners to the village. Give them over to Lieutenant Houdin; +and tell him to send them, with the prisoners he has taken, under +charge of six men to the forest. Let their hands be tied behind +their backs, for we cannot spare a larger escort. Tell him to be +sure that the escort are loaded, and have fixed bayonets. Directly +he has sent off the prisoners let him join me here, with the rest +of his force."</p> +<p>Lieutenant Ribouville now set to work to inspect the bridge; and +ordered the men--who were provided with the necessary +implements--to set to, and dig a hole down to the crown of the +principal arch. It was harder work than they had expected. The +roadway was solid, the ballast pressed down very tightly, and the +crown of the arch covered, to a considerable depth, with concrete. +Only a few men could work at once and, after a half-hour's +desperate labor, the hole was nothing like far enough advanced to +ensure the total destruction of the bridge, upon the charge being +fired. In the meantime the Prussian sentries were arriving from up +and down the line and, although not in sufficient force to attack, +had opened fire from a distance.</p> +<p>"Don't you think that will do, Ribouville?" Major Tempe +asked.</p> +<p>"No, sir," the other replied. "It might blow a hole through the +top of the arch, but I hardly think that it would do so. Its force +would be spent upwards."</p> +<p>At this moment Ralph--who had done his spell of work, and had +been down to the stream, to get a drink of water--came running +up.</p> +<p>"If you please, Lieutenant Ribouville, there is a hole right +through the pier, just above the water's edge. It seems to have +been left to let any water that gets into the pier, from above, +make its escape. I should think that would do to hold the +charge."</p> +<p>"The very thing," Lieutenant Ribouville said, delightedly. "What +a fool I was, not to have looked to see if such a hole existed!</p> +<p>"Stop work, men, and carry the barrels down to the edge of the +water."</p> +<p>The stream was not above waist deep; and the engineer officer +immediately waded into it, and examined the hole. He at once +pronounced it to be admirably suited to the purpose. It did not--as +Ralph had supposed--go straight through; but there were two holes, +one upon each side of the pier, nearly at the same level, and each +extending into the center of the pier. The holes were about four +inches square.</p> +<p>The barrels of gun cotton were now hastily opened on the bank, +and men waded out with the contents. Lieutenant Ribouville upon one +side, and Ralph upon the other, took the cotton and thrust it, with +long sticks, into the ends of the hole. In five minutes the +contents of the two barrels were safely lodged, the fuse inserted, +and the operation of tamping--or ramming--in dry sand, earth, and +stones commenced.</p> +<p>"Make haste!" Major Tempe shouted. "Their numbers are increasing +fast. There are some fifteen or twenty, on either side."</p> +<p>A brisk fire of rifles was now going on. The day had fairly +broken; and the franc tireurs, sheltered behind the parapet of the +bridge, on the bank of the river, were exchanging a lively fire +with the enemy. Three-quarters of an hour had passed since the +first shot was fired.</p> +<p>Suddenly a distant boom was heard, followed in a few seconds by +a slight whizzing noise, which grew rapidly into a loud scream and, +in another moment, there was an explosion close to the bridge. The +men all left off their work, for an instant.</p> +<p>"And what may that be, Mister Percy? A more unpleasant sound I +niver heard, since I was a baby."</p> +<p>"I quite agree with you, Tim, as to its unpleasantness. It is a +shell. The artillery are coming up from Luneville. The fire of the +sentries would take the alarm, in a couple of minutes; give them +another fifteen to get ready, and half an hour to get within +range.</p> +<p>"Here comes another."</p> +<p>"Are you ready, Ribouville?" the commandant shouted. "They have +cavalry, as well as artillery. We must be off, or we shall get +caught in a trap."</p> +<p>"I am ready," was the answer.</p> +<p>"Barclay, strike a match, and put it to the end of your fuse, +till it begins to fizz.</p> +<p>"Have you lit it?"</p> +<p>"Yes, sir," Ralph said, a moment later.</p> +<p>"So have I," the lieutenant said. "They will burn about three +minutes.</p> +<p>"Now for a run!"</p> +<p>In a couple of minutes the franc tireurs were retreating, at the +double; and they had not gone a hundred yards when they heard the +sound of two tremendous explosions, following closely one upon +another. Looking back, they saw the pier had fallen in fragments; +and that the bridge lay, a heap of ruins, in the stream.</p> +<p>"Hurrah, lads!" shouted the commandant. "You have done your work +well. Those who get out of this with a whole skin may well be proud +of their day's work.</p> +<p>"Don't mind the shells," he continued, as two more of the +missiles burst, in quick succession, within a short distance of +them. "They make an ugly noise; but they won't hurt us, at this +distance."</p> +<p>The German artillerymen had apparently arrived at the same +conclusion, for they now ceased to fire; and the retreating corps +were only exposed to an occasional shot from the infantry, who had +followed them from the bridge.</p> +<p>"The artillery and cavalry will be up, before we reach the +wood," Percy said to his brother, as they trotted along, side by +side.</p> +<p>"They may come up," Ralph said, "but they can do us no harm, on +the broken ground; and will catch a Tartar, if they don't +mind."</p> +<p>The ground was indeed unfavorable for cavalry, and artillery. It +was broken up with the spurs of the hill. Here and there great +masses of rock cropped out of the ground, while patches of forest +extended over a considerable portion of the ground. In one of +these, standing upon rising and broken ground, Major Tempe halted +his men; and opened so heavy a fire upon the enemy's cavalry, when +the column appeared, that they were at once halted; and although, +when the artillery arrived, a few shells were fired into the wood, +the franc tireurs had already retired, and gained the forest +without further molestation. Upon calling the roll, it was +discovered that six men, only, were missing. These had +fallen--either killed or wounded--from the fire of the enemy's +infantry, during the time that the operation at the bridge were +being carried out.</p> +<p>There was great rejoicing at the success of their enterprise, +the effect of which would certainly be to block the traffic along +that line, for at least a week. Their satisfaction was, however, +somewhat damped by the sight of several dense columns of smoke in +the plain; showing that the Germans had, as usual, wreaked their +vengeance upon the innocent villagers. The feeling of disgust was +changed to fury when some of the peasants--who had fled into the +woods, upon the destruction of their abodes--reported that the +Germans, having found that three of the franc tireurs were only +wounded, had dragged them along to the entrance to the village; and +had hung them there upon some trees, by the roadside. Had it not +been for Major Tempe's assurance, that their comrades should be +avenged, the franc tireurs would at once have killed their +prisoners.</p> +<p>In the evening the men were formed up, the prisoners ranged in +line, and twelve were taken by lot; and these, with the officer +taken with them--when night fell--were bound and marched off, under +a guard of thirty men. Neither of the boys formed part of the +escort, which was an immense relief to them for, although they were +as indignant as the rest, at the murder of their wounded comrades +by the Germans; and quite agreed in the justice of reprisal, still, +they were greatly relieved when they found that they would not have +to be present at the execution.</p> +<p>Two hours later Major Tempe returned, with the escort. The +officer, and eleven of his men, had been hung on trees by the +roadside, at a distance of half a mile, only, from the village; the +twelfth man had been released, as bearer of a note from Major Tempe +to the German commanding officer saying that, as a reprisal for the +murder of the three wounded franc tireurs, he had hung twelve +Germans; and that, in future, he would always hang four prisoners +for every one of his men who might be murdered, contrary to the +rules of war.</p> +<p>This act of retributive justice performed, the corps retreated +to join the army of the Vosges, under General Cambriels. The news +of the destruction of the bridge across the Vesouze had preceded +them; and when, after three days' heavy marching, they reached the +village which formed the headquarters of the general, they were +received with loud cheers by the crowds of Mobiles who thronged its +little streets. It was out of the question to find quarters; and +the major therefore ordered the men to bivouac in the open, while +he reported himself to General Cambriels.</p> +<p>The commandant of the franc tireurs was personally known to +General Cambriels, having at one time served for some years under +his command; and he was most warmly received by the veteran, one of +the bravest and most popular of the French generals. As general of +the district, he had received all Major Tempe's reports; and was +therefore acquainted with the actions of the corps.</p> +<p>"Ah, major!" he said, after the first greetings, "if I had only +a few thousand men, animated with the spirit and courage of your +fellows, the Germans would never get through the Vosges. As it is I +shall, of course, do my best; but what can one do with an army of +plow boys, led by officers who know nothing of their duty, against +troops like the Germans?</p> +<p>"As for my franc tireurs, they are in many cases worse than +useless. They have no discipline, whatever. They embroil me with +the peasantry. They are always complaining. The whole of them, +together, have not done as much real service as your small band. +They shoot down Uhlans, when they catch them in very small parties; +but have no notion, whatever, of real fighting.</p> +<p>"However, I cannot thank you too warmly. Your name will appear +in the Gazette, tomorrow, as colonel; and I must ask you to extend +the sphere of your duties. We want officers, terribly; and I will +brigade four or five of these corps of franc tireurs under your +orders, so as to make up a force of a thousand men. You will have +full authority over them, to enforce any discipline you may choose. +I want you to make a body to act as an advanced guard of +skirmishers to my army of Mobiles. I have a few line troops, but I +want them as a nucleus for the force.</p> +<p>"What do you say?"</p> +<p>"Personally, general, I should greatly prefer remaining with my +own little corps, upon every man of whom I can rely. At the same +time, I should not wish for a moment to oppose my own likings, or +dislikings, to the general good of the service. Many of these corps +of franc tireurs are composed of excellent materials and, if well +led and disciplined, would do anything. I can only say I will do my +best."</p> +<p>"Thank you, Tempe. Is there anything else I can do for you?"</p> +<p>"I should like to see a step given to the three officers serving +under me," the major said. "They have all served in the regular +army, and all have equally well done their duty."</p> +<p>"It shall be done; and two of them shall be posted to other +corps, while one takes the command of your own," the general said. +"Do you wish commissions for any of the men?"</p> +<p>Major Tempe named three of the men, and then added:</p> +<p>"The two members of the corps who have most distinguished +themselves I have not mentioned, general, because they are too +young to place over the heads of the others; at the same time, +their services certainly deserve recognition. I mentioned them, in +the dispatches I sent to you, as having done immense service by +going down, in disguise, into the midst of the Germans. In fact, at +Saverne they saved the corps from destruction. They are two young +English lads, named Barclay."</p> +<p>"I remember distinctly," General Cambriels said. "They speak +French fluently, I suppose, as well as German?"</p> +<p>"Both languages like natives," the major answered.</p> +<p>"And can they ride?"</p> +<p>"Yes, admirably," Major Tempe said. "I knew them before the war, +and they are excellent horsemen."</p> +<p>"Then they are the very fellows for me," General Cambriels said. +"I will give them commissions in the provisional army, at once; and +put them upon my own staff. They would be of great value to me.</p> +<p>"You will spare them, I hope?"</p> +<p>"I shall be extremely sorry to do so, general; but for their own +sakes, and for the good of the service, I will of course do +so."</p> +<p>"Thanks, colonel. I shall put the franc tireurs of Dijon in +general orders, tomorrow, as having performed good service to the +country; and please to thank them, in my name, for their +services."</p> +<p>"Thank you very much, general. It will give me more pleasure +than even the step that you have been kind enough to give to +myself."</p> +<p>"Good evening, colonel. We must have a long chat together, one +of these days.</p> +<p>"The chief of my staff will give you the names of the corps to +be placed under your orders. The matter was settled this morning, +and I have picked out the best of those here. Orders have been sent +for them to assemble at Raoul--a village, a mile from here--in the +morning; with a notification that they are placed under your +command.</p> +<p>"Goodbye."</p> +<h2><a name="Ch11" id="Ch11">Chapter 11</a>: A Fight In The Vosges.</h2> +<p>Upon Colonel Tempe's rejoining the men--who were already busy +preparing their suppers--he ordered the assembly to be sounded and, +when they were formed up, he formally thanked them, in the name of +the general, for the service that they had rendered; adding that +they would appear in general orders, upon the following day.</p> +<p>The men replied with a cheer of "Vive la France!"</p> +<p>Their commander then informed them that he, himself, had +received a step in rank and would, in future, command them with +several other corps; that Lieutenant Ribouville would, in future, +be their special commander, with the rank of captain; that the +other two lieutenants would be promoted; and that three of their +number would receive commissions and, while one of them remained +under Captain Ribouville, the others would--with the newly-made +captains--be attached to other corps. The two Barclays would +receive commissions as officers, on the staff of General Cambriels, +himself.</p> +<p>When Colonel Tempe finished speaking, the boys could hardly +believe their ears; and looked at each other, to inquire if they +heard aright. There could be no mistake about it; for Colonel Tempe +called them forward and, shaking hands with them, congratulated +them on the promotion which, he said, they had well earned. The men +gave a hearty cheer; for the young English lads were general +favorites, for their good temper and willingness to oblige.</p> +<p>Directly the men were dismissed, the colonel again called the +lads to him.</p> +<p>"I am sorry to lose you," he said, "but of course it is for your +good. Come with me, at once, to General Cambriels. I will introduce +you, and you had better ask for four days' leave. You can get the +railway in four hours' ride from here. You will have no difficulty +in finding a place in some of the commissariat cities going to +fetch stores. If you start tonight, you can catch a train before +morning, and be in Dijon quite early. A couple of days will be +sufficient to get your uniforms made, and to buy horses.</p> +<p>"Your cousin will go with you. I gave him leave, last night, to +start upon our arrival here. He is not so strong as you are; and +the surgeon says that he must have rest, and quiet. He is quite +worn out.</p> +<p>"Now, pile your rifles--you will not want them any more--and +come with me. I have said good night to the general, but he will +excuse me."</p> +<p>Still bewildered, the boys did as they were ordered. As they +were piling their rifles, they heard a loud blubbering. Looking +round, they saw Tim Doyle, weeping most copiously.</p> +<p>"What is the matter, Tim?"</p> +<p>"Matter! Your honor, ain't yer going to lave us? What am I going +to do, at all?"</p> +<p>The boys hurried away, without reply--for Colonel Tempe was +waiting for them--and, on the way to headquarters, mentioned Tim's +grief at parting with them.</p> +<p>The general received the lads most kindly and, at once, granted +them four days' leave to go to Dijon, to procure uniform.</p> +<p>Colonel Tempe then said:</p> +<p>"You do not want orderlies, do you, general?"</p> +<p>"I do, indeed," the general answered. "I have about a dozen +cavalry men, of different regiments, who form my escort and act as +orderlies; but they are my entire force of cavalry."</p> +<p>"I have an Irishman in my corps, general, who only joined to be +near these young fellows. He was brought up among horses; and you +have only to put him in a hussar uniform, and he would make a +capital orderly, and would act as servant to your new staff +officers."</p> +<p>"By all means," the general said; "send him over, in the +morning. We will make a hussar of him, in half an hour; we have got +a few uniforms in store."</p> +<p>What a meeting that was, near Dijon! The boys, upon reaching the +station, had found a train on the point of starting; and it was +seven in the morning when they reached the town. The shops open +early, in French country towns; and although their tailor had not +as yet taken his shutters down, he was up and about, and willingly +measured them for their new uniforms--promising that they should +have them, without fail, the next afternoon. They then walked up to +the cottage; and dropped in just as the party, there, were sitting +down to breakfast.</p> +<p>There was a loud exclamation from Captain Barclay, and a scream +of delight from their mother, and Milly; and it was a good ten +minutes before they were sitting round the table, talking +coherently. It was but six weeks since they had left, but it seemed +like years; and there was as much to tell, and to talk about, as if +they had just returned, after an absence of half a lifetime, in +India.</p> +<p>"How long have you got leave for?" was one of the first +questions.</p> +<p>"Only four days," Percy said. "The corps has now joined the army +of the Vosges, and will act regularly with it. A move forward will +take place, in a few days, so that we could not ask for +longer."</p> +<p>"Only four days!" Mrs. Barclay and Milly repeated, aghast.</p> +<p>"It is not much, mamma," Ralph put in, "but it is better than +nothing. You see, you did not expect us at all."</p> +<p>"Quite so," Captain Barclay said, cheerfully. "It is a clear +gain, and we waste the time in regretting that it is not longer. It +is a great delight to have you back again, even for a few hours. +You both look wonderfully well, and fully a year older than when +you left. Roughing it, and exposure, evidently suits you.</p> +<p>"Has Louis come back with you?"</p> +<p>"Yes, papa, he has come back to stay, for some time. He is +completely done up, and the surgeon has ordered rest and quiet, for +a while.</p> +<p>"How is Philippe?"</p> +<p>"He is getting on well; and will walk, the doctor hopes, in +another fortnight, or three weeks; but I have not seen him +for--although your uncle comes in, as usual, for a chat with +me--Madame Duburg has never forgiven me for having, as she says, +influenced him in allowing the boys to go; and of course, since +this wound of Philippe's, she has been more angry than ever."</p> +<p>The boys laughed. They understood their aunt's ways.</p> +<p>"Tim has not been hurt, I hope?" Milly asked.</p> +<p>"Oh no; Tim is as well as ever, and the life and soul of the +corps."</p> +<p>As breakfast went on, the boys gradually related the changes +that were taking place: Major Tempe's promotion to be colonel, and +the fact that he was placed in command of several corps of franc +tireurs, who were hereafter to act together. They said no word, +however, about their own promotion; having agreed to keep that +matter secret, until the uniforms were completed. They had also +asked their cousin to say nothing about it, at home; as otherwise +their uncle would have been sure to have come in to congratulate +them, and the secret would have been at an end, at once.</p> +<p>An hour later, Monsieur Duburg came in to see them. After the +first talk, he said to Captain Barclay:</p> +<p>"The way in which your boys have stood the fatigue is a proof, +in itself, how much the prosperity of a nation depends upon the +training of its boys. England is strong because her boys are all +accustomed, from their childhood, to active exercise and outdoor, +violent games. In case of a war, like this which we are going +through, almost every man could turn soldier, and go through the +fatigues of a campaign; and what is more, could make light of--not +to say enjoy--them.</p> +<p>"Here, upon the contrary, our young fellows do nothing and, in +an emergency like the present, want both spirit and strength to +make soldiers. Almost all the boys who went from here in Tempe's +corps have returned, completely worn out. Even Louis is a wreck; +although, thanks to the companionship of your boys, he has +supported it better, and longer, than the majority of them. Had he +began, as a child, to take pleasure in strong exercise; no doubt he +could have stood it as well as Ralph and Percy, who look absolutely +benefited by it. Unfortunately, I allowed my wife's silly objection +to prevail; until the last three years, when I insisted that they +should do as they liked.</p> +<p>"As I have said before, Barclay, I say again: I congratulate you +on your boys. You have a right to be proud of them. I wish the race +of young Frenchmen were only like them."</p> +<p>Great indeed was the astonishment--upon the afternoon of the +following day--when Ralph and Percy walked into the sitting room, +dressed as staff officers; feeling a little awkward with their +swords, but flushed with an honorable pleasure and pride--for their +epaulets had been gained by no family interests, no private +influence. They were worn as the reward of good service. Captain +Barclay wrung the boys' hands, silently. Their mother cried with +delight, and Milly danced round the boys like a small possessed +one.</p> +<p>"It is not for the absolute rank itself, boys, that I am +pleased," their father said, when they had related the whole +circumstances; "for you have no idea of remaining in the French +service and, consequently, the rank will be of no use to you, after +the end of the war. Still, it is a thing all your lives to be proud +of--that you won your commission in the French army, by good +service."</p> +<p>"What I am thinking of most," Mrs. Barclay said, "is that, now +they are officers in the regular army, they will run no risk of +being shot, if they are taken prisoners."</p> +<p>"We don't mean to be taken prisoners, mamma. Still, as you say, +it is certainly an advantage in favor of the regular uniform."</p> +<p>"And what is to become of Tim?" Milly asked.</p> +<p>"Oh, Tim is going to become a hussar, and act as one of the +general's orderlies; and be our servant, when he has nothing else +to do. You see, now we are officers, we have a right to +servants."</p> +<p>"I am very glad Tim is going with you," Mrs. Barclay said. "My +brother tells us that he saved Philippe's life, and it seems a +comfort to know that he is with you."</p> +<p>The next morning Captain Barclay went down with them to the +town, and purchased a couple of capital horses which, by great good +fortune, were on sale.</p> +<p>Upon the morning of the fourth day of their visit, the boys took +leave of their father and mother, and left to join the headquarters +of General Cambriels. The parting was far less trying than it had +been, the first time they went away. The boys were not, now, going +out to an unknown danger. Although the risk that a staff officer +runs is, absolutely, somewhat greater than that incurred by a +regimental officer; still, it is slight in comparison with the risk +run by a franc tireur, employed in harassing an enemy, and in +cutting his communications--especially when capture means death. +Those who remained behind were encouraged partly by this thought, +but still more by the really irrational one that, as the boys had +gone away and come back safe, once, they would probably do so +again.</p> +<p>The evening of the same day, the Barclays reported themselves +for duty to the general and, next morning, began work. Their duty +was hard, though simple. By day they were constantly on duty--that +is to say, either riding over the country, or waiting near the +general's quarters in readiness for a start or--more +seldom--writing, and drawing up reports in the office. By night +they took it in turns with the other staff officers to be on +duty--that is to say, to lie down to sleep in uniform, with the +horse saddled at the door, in readiness to start at an instant's +notice.</p> +<p>Tim's duties as an orderly were not heavy, and were generally +over by five o'clock; after which he acted as servant to the boys. +It was impossible, under the circumstances, for the staff to mess +together, as usual. There was neither a room available nor, indeed, +any of the appliances. Among Tim's other duties, therefore, was +that of cooking. They had also another orderly allotted to them, +and he devoted himself to the care of the horses; Tim undertaking +all other work.</p> +<p>The boys liked their new duties much. The work was hard, but +pleasant. Their fellow officers were pleasant companions, and their +general most kind, and genial.</p> +<p>A week after they had joined, General Cambriels advanced into +the Vosges to oppose the Prussians, who were marching south. The +progress of the army was slow, for they had to carry what supplies +they required with them. Colonel Tempe kept, with his command, a +few hours' march ahead; and one or other of the boys was frequently +dispatched with orders, etc. to obtain reports from him.</p> +<p>After three days' marching, they neared the enemy. All was now +watchfulness, and excitement. The franc tireurs were already +engaged in skirmishing and, early one morning, Ralph received +orders to ride forward and reconnoiter the enemy's position. +Passing through the posts of franc tireurs, he rode cautiously +along the road; with his hand on the butt of his revolver, and his +horse well in hand--ready to turn and ride for his life, on an +instant's notice.</p> +<p>Presently, as the road wound through a narrow gorge, lined with +trees, he heard a voice say, close in his ear, "Stop!"</p> +<p>He reined in his horse, and drew his pistol. The leaves parted; +and a man of some sixty years of age, armed with an old +double-barreled fowling piece, stepped out.</p> +<p>"The Germans are just beyond," he said. "I expect them every +moment."</p> +<p>"And what are you doing here?" Ralph asked.</p> +<p>"What am I doing?" repeated the peasant. "I am waiting to shoot +some of them."</p> +<p>"But they will hang you, to a certainty, if they catch you."</p> +<p>"Let them," the old man said, quietly; "they will do me no more +harm than they have done me. I had a nice farm, near Metz. I lived +there with my wife and daughter, and my three boys. Someone fired +at the Prussians from a wood near. No one was hit, but that made no +difference. The black-hearted scoundrels came to my farm; shot my +three boys, before their mother's eyes; ill treated her, so that +she died next day and, when I returned--for I was away, at the +time--I found a heap of ashes, where my house had stood; the dead +bodies of my three boys; my wife dying, and my daughter sitting by, +screaming with laughter--mad--quite mad!</p> +<p>"I took her away to a friend's house; and stayed with her till +she died, too, a fortnight after. Then I bought this gun, and some +powder and lead, with my last money; and went out to kill +Prussians. I have killed thirteen already and, please God," and the +peasant lifted his hat, devoutly, "I will kill two more, +today."</p> +<p>"How is it that you have escaped so long?" Ralph asked, in +surprise.</p> +<p>"I never fire at infantry," the peasant said. "It was Uhlans +that did it, and it's only Uhlans I fire at. I put myself on a +rock, or a hillside, where they can't come--or in a thick wood--and +I content myself with my two shots, and then go. I don't want to be +killed, yet. I have set my mind on having fifty--just ten for each +of mine--and when I've shot the last of the fifty, the sooner they +finish me, the better.</p> +<p>"You'd better not go any farther, sir. The valley widens out, +round the corner; and there are Prussians in the nearest +village."</p> +<p>"Thank you," Ralph said, "but my orders are to reconnoiter them, +myself, and I must do so. I am well mounted, and I don't think that +they will catch me, if I get a couple of hundred yards' start. +There are franc tireurs in the village, a mile back."</p> +<p>Ralph now rode carefully forward, while the peasant went back +into his hiding place by the wood. As he had said, the gorge +widened into a broad valley, a few hundred yards farther on. Upon +emerging from the gorge, Ralph at once saw a village--almost hidden +among trees--at a distance of less than a quarter of a mile. After +what he had heard, he dared not ride on farther. He therefore drew +his horse aside from the road, among some trees; dismounted, and +made his way carefully up the rocky side of the hill, to a point +from which he could command a view down the whole valley.</p> +<p>When he gained this spot, he looked cautiously round. Below, +beyond the village, he could see large numbers of men; could make +out lines of cavalry horses, and rows of artillery. A considerable +movement was going on, and Ralph had no doubt that they were about +to advance. In his interest in what he saw, he probably exposed his +figure somewhat; and caught the eye of some sharp-sighted sentry, +in the village.</p> +<p>The first intimation of his danger was given him by seeing some +twenty Uhlans dart suddenly out of the trees, in which the village +lay, at the top of their speed while, almost at the same moment, +eight or ten rifles flashed, and the balls whizzed round him in +most unpleasant propinquity. Ralph turned in an instant; and +bounded down the rock with a speed and recklessness of which, at +any other moment, he would have been incapable. Fierce as was the +pace at which the Uhlans were galloping, they were still a hundred +yards distant when Ralph leaped upon his horse, and galloped out in +front of them.</p> +<p>There was a rapid discharge of their carbines, but men at full +gallop make but poor shooting. Ralph felt he was untouched but, by +the convulsive spring which his horse gave, he knew the animal was +wounded. For a couple of hundred yards, there was but little +difference in his speed; and then Ralph--to his dismay--felt him +flag, and knew that the wound had been a severe one. Another +hundred yards, and the animal staggered; and would have fallen, had +not Ralph held him up well, with knee and bridle.</p> +<p>The Uhlans saw it; for they gave a shout, and a pistol bullet +whizzed close to his head. Ralph looked round. An officer, twenty +yards ahead of his men, was only about forty yards in his rear. In +his hand he held a revolver, which he had just discharged.</p> +<p>"Surrender!" he shouted, "or you are a dead man!"</p> +<p>Ralph saw that his pursuers were too close to enable him to +carry out his intention of dismounting, and taking to the +wood--which, here, began to approach thickly close to the road--and +was on the point of throwing up his arm, in token of surrender; +when his horse fell heavily, with him, at the moment when the +Prussian again fired. Almost simultaneously with the crack of the +pistol came the report of a gun; and the German officer fell off +his horse, shot through the heart.</p> +<p>Ralph leaped to his feet, and dashed up the bank in among the +trees; just as another shot was fired, with a like fatal result, +into the advancing Uhlans. The rest--believing that they had fallen +into an ambush--instantly turned their horses' heads, and galloped +back the road they had come.</p> +<p>Ralph's first impulse was to rush down into the road, and catch +the officer's horse; which had galloped on a short distance when +its master fell, and was now returning, to follow its companions. +As he did so, the old peasant appeared, from the wood.</p> +<p>"Thank you," Ralph said warmly. "You have saved my life or, at +any rate, have saved me from a German prison."</p> +<p>The peasant paid no attention to him; but stooped down to +examine, carefully, whether the Germans were both dead.</p> +<p>"Two more," he said, with a grim smile. "That makes fifteen. +Three apiece."</p> +<p>Then he picked up the officer's revolver, took the cartridge +belonging to it from the pouch and, with a wave of the hand to +Ralph, strode back into the wood.</p> +<p>Ralph removed the holsters from the saddle of his own +horse--which had fallen dead--placed them on the horse of the +German officer and then, mounting it, rode off at full speed, to +inform General Cambriels of the results of his investigation.</p> +<p>"Hallo, Barclay!" one of his fellow officers said, as he rode up +to the headquarters, "what have you been up to? Doing a little +barter, with a German hussar? You seem to have got the best of him, +too; for your own horse was a good one, but this is a good deal +better, unless I am mistaken.</p> +<p>"How has it come about?"</p> +<p>Quite a crowd of idlers had collected round, while the officer +was speaking; struck, like him, with the singularity of the sight +of a French staff officer upon a horse with German trappings. Ralph +did not wish to enter into explanations, there; so merely replied, +in the same jesting strain, that it had been a fair exchange--the +small difference in the value of the horses being paid for, with a +small piece of lead. Then, throwing his reins to his orderly--who +came running up--he went in to report, to the general, the evident +forward movements of the Germans.</p> +<p>"Are they as strong as we have heard?" the general asked.</p> +<p>"Fully, I should say, sir. I had no means of judging the +infantry, but they seemed in large force. They were certainly +strong in cavalry, and I saw some eight or ten batteries of +artillery."</p> +<p>"Let the next for duty ride, with all speed, to Tempe; and tell +him to hold the upper end of this valley. Send Herve's battery +forward to assist him. Have the general assembly sounded."</p> +<p>Ralph left to obey these orders, while the general gave the +colonel of his staff the instructions for the disposition of his +forces.</p> +<p>The army of the Vosges--pompous as was its name--consisted, at +this time, of only some ten thousand men; all Mobiles or franc +tireurs, with the exception of a battalion of line, and a battalion +of Zouaves. The Mobiles were almost undisciplined, having only been +out a month; and were, for the most part, armed only with the old +muzzle loader. Many were clothed only in the gray trousers, with a +red stripe, which forms part of the mobile's uniform; and in a blue +blouse. Great numbers of them were almost shoeless; having been +taken straight from the plow, or workshop, and having received no +shoes since they joined. Half disciplined, half armed, half +clothed, they were too evidently no match for the Germans.</p> +<p>The fact was patent to their general, and his officers. Still, +his instructions were to make a stand, at all hazards, in the +Vosges; and he now prepared to obey the orders--not hoping for +victory, but trusting in the natural courage of his men to enable +him to draw them off without serious disaster. His greatest +weakness was his artillery, of which he had only two batteries; +against eight or ten of the Germans--whose forces were, even +numerically, superior to his own.</p> +<p>In half an hour, the dispositions were made. The valley was +wide, at this point; and there were some five or six villages +nestled in it. It was pretty thickly wooded and, two miles behind, +narrowed again considerably. Just as the troops had gained their +appointed places, a faint sound of heavy musketry fire was heard, +in the gorge ahead; mingled, in a few minutes, with the deep boom +of cannon.</p> +<p>The general, surrounded by his staff, moved forward towards the +spot. From the road at the entrance to the narrow part of the +valley, nothing could be seen; but the cracking of rifles among the +trees and rocks on either side, the bursting of shells and the +whistling of bullets were incessant. The general and his staff +accordingly dismounted, handed their horses to the men of the +escort, and mounted the side of the hill.</p> +<p>After a sharp climb, they reached a point from whence they could +see right down the long narrow valley. On beyond, the trees--except +near the road--were thin; the steep sides of the hills being +covered with great blocks of stone, and thick brushwood. Among +these--all down one side, and up the other--at a distance of some +five hundred yards from the post taken up by the general, a +succession of quick puffs of smoke told where Colonel Tempe's franc +tireurs were placed; while among the trees below there came up +great wreaths of smoke from the battery, which was supporting them +by firing at the Germans.</p> +<p>These formed a long line, up and down the sides of the valley, +at three or four hundred yards distance from the French lines. Two +German batteries were down in the road, a few hundred yards to the +rear of their skirmishers; and these were sending shells thickly up +among the rocks, where the franc tireurs were lying hid; while two +other batteries--which the Germans had managed to put a short way +up on the mountain sides, still farther in the rear--were raining +shell, with deadly precision, upon the French batteries in the +road.</p> +<p>A prettier piece of warfare it would have been difficult to +imagine--the lofty mountain sides; the long lines of little puffs +of smoke, among the brushwood and rocks; the white smoke arising +from the trees, in the bottom; the quick, dull bursts of the +shells--as a spectacle, it was most striking. The noise was +prodigious. The steep sides of the mountain echoed each report of +the guns into a prolonged roar, like the rumble of thunder. The +rattle of the musketry never ceased for an instant, and loud and +distinct above the din rose the menacing scream of the shells.</p> +<p>"This is grand, indeed, Ralph!" Percy said, after a moment's +silence.</p> +<p>"Splendid!" Ralph said, "but it is evident we cannot hold the +gorge. Their skirmishers are three to our one, and their shells +must be doing terrible damage."</p> +<p>"Barclay," General Cambriels said, "go down to the battery, and +bring me back word how they are getting on."</p> +<p>The scene quite lost its beauty to Percy, now, as he saw Ralph +scramble rapidly down the hillside in the direction of the trees; +among which the French battery was placed, and over and among which +the shells were bursting, every second. It seemed like entering a +fiery furnace.</p> +<p>It was a terribly long ten minutes before Ralph was seen, +climbing up the hillside again; and Percy's heart gave a jump of +delight, when he first caught sight of his figure. As Ralph came +near, his brother saw that he was very pale, and had a handkerchief +bound round one arm. This was already soaked with blood. He kept on +steadily, however, until he reached the general; who had, upon +seeing he was wounded, advanced to meet him.</p> +<p>"One gun is dismounted, sir, and half the men are killed or +wounded."</p> +<p>"Go down, Harcourt, and tell Herve to fall back at once; and to +take position in the clump of trees, a quarter of a mile down the +valley, so as to sweep the entrance.</p> +<p>"Laon, go to the right, and you, Dubois, to the left. Order the +franc tireurs to retreat along the hillside and, when they get to +the end of the gorge, to form in the plain, and fall back to the +first village.</p> +<p>"You are wounded, Barclay. Not seriously, I hope?" he said, +kindly, as the officers hurried away on their respective +missions.</p> +<p>"A splinter of a shell, sir," Ralph said, faintly. "I don't +think it has touched the bone, but it has cut the flesh badly."</p> +<p>Ralph was just able to say this, when his head swam; and he +would have fallen, had not Percy caught him in his arms, with a +little cry.</p> +<p>"He has only fainted from loss of blood," the general said. "Two +or three handkerchiefs, gentlemen.</p> +<p>"Now, major, bind them round his arm.</p> +<p>"Now take off his sash, and bind it as tightly as you can, over +them. That's right.</p> +<p>"Now carry him down the rocks, to the horses. We have no time to +lose."</p> +<p>Two of the officers at once put their arms under Ralph's +shoulders, while Percy took his feet; and they hastened down to the +horses. As they did so, Ralph opened his eyes.</p> +<p>"I am all right, now," he said, faintly.</p> +<p>"Lie quiet," the major said, kindly. "It is only loss of blood. +There is no real harm done.</p> +<p>"There, here are the horses."</p> +<p>Ralph was placed, sitting, on the ground; a little brandy and +water was given to him and, as the blood was oozing but slowly +through the bandage, he felt sufficiently restored to sit on his +horse.</p> +<p>"Doyle, you go with Lieutenant Barclay," the colonel of the +staff said. "Ride slowly, and keep close beside him; so as to catch +him, if you see him totter. You will find the surgeons ready at the +general's quarters.</p> +<p>"Halt, stand aside for a moment. Here comes the artillery."</p> +<p>"Well done, lads, well done!" the general said, as the +diminished battery rattled past, at full gallop.</p> +<p>Then he himself, with his staff, put spurs to his horse and went +off at full speed; while Tim followed at a walk, riding by the side +of Ralph. The flow of blood had now stopped, and Ralph was able to +sit his horse until he reached the house which had served as the +general's headquarters, in the morning. Here one of the staff +surgeons had fitted up a temporary ambulance; and Ralph's bandages +were soon taken off, and his coat removed. Tim turned sick at the +sight of the ugly gash in his young master's arm, and was obliged +to go out into the air.</p> +<p>The artillery were already at work, and their fire told that the +franc tireurs had retired from the gorge, and that the Germans were +entering the wider valley.</p> +<p>"You have had a narrow escape," the surgeon said, after +examining Ralph's arm, "a quarter of an inch lower, and it would +have cut the main artery; and you would have bled to death in five +minutes. As it is, there is no great harm done. It is a deepish +flesh wound but, with your youth and constitution, it will heal up +in a very short time. I will draw the edges together, with a needle +and thread: put a few straps of plaster on, and a bandage; and then +you had better get into an ambulance wagon and go to the rear, at +once."</p> +<p>"Can't I go into the field again, now?" Ralph asked; "I feel as +if I could ride again, now."</p> +<p>"No, you can do nothing of the sort," the surgeon said. "You +have lost a lot of blood; and if you were to ride now, it might set +off the wound bleeding again, and you might be a dead man before +you could be brought back here. Keep quiet, and do as you are +ordered, and in a week you may be in the saddle again."</p> +<p>"It seems very hard," Ralph began.</p> +<p>"Not at all hard," the surgeon said. "You will see plenty more +fighting, before this war is over.</p> +<p>"This is a hard case, if you like; you have every reason to be +thankful."</p> +<p>As he spoke, he pointed to a young mobile who was brought in, +his chest literally torn open with a shell.</p> +<p>"I can do nothing for him," the surgeon said, after a brief +inspection of his wound; "he has not half an hour to live, and will +probably not recover consciousness. If he does, give him some weak +brandy, and water."</p> +<p>Wounded men were now being brought in fast, and Ralph went out +and sat down by the door.</p> +<p>"Fasten my horse up here, Tim. The ambulance will be full of +poor fellows who will want them more than I shall. If I see that we +are being driven back, I shall mount and ride quietly back.</p> +<p>"No, there is nothing more you can do for me. Go and join +Percy."</p> +<p>The fight was now raging furiously. The Germans, covered by the +fire of their artillery, had debouched from the pass and were +steadily pressing forward. They had already carried the village +nearest to them. This the French had set fire to, before +retreating, to prevent its serving as a shelter for the enemy. The +Mobiles stood their ground, for the most part well, under the heavy +fire of shot and shell; but their muzzle loaders were no match for +the Germans' needle guns, and the enemy were pressing steadily +forward. Just as Tim Doyle rode up to the staff, the Germans had +taken another village.</p> +<p>"That village must be retaken," the general said. "Barclay, ride +and order the Zouaves to carry it, with the bayonet."</p> +<p>Percy galloped off to where the Zouaves, lying behind a ridge in +the ground, were keeping up a heavy fire in answer to the storm of +shot and shell which fell around them. He rode up to the officer in +command.</p> +<p>"The Zouaves are to retake the village, with the bayonet," he +said.</p> +<p>The colonel gave the order, but the fire was so heavy that the +men would not face it. Again and again the officer reiterated the +order; standing exposed on the bank, in front of his men, to give +them confidence. It was in vain, and the colonel looked towards +Percy with an air of despair. Percy turned his horse, and galloped +back to the general.</p> +<p>"The colonel has done all he can, sir, but the men won't +advance."</p> +<p>"The fire is very heavy," the general said, "but we must have +the village back again."</p> +<p>And he rode off, himself, to the battalion of Zouaves. The shot +and shell were flying around him, but he sat on his horse as +immovable as if at a review.</p> +<p>"My lads," he said, in a loud, clear tone, "generally the +difficulty has been to prevent the Zouaves rushing to an attack. +Don't let it be said that a French general had to repeat, to French +Zouaves, an order to charge before they obeyed him."</p> +<p>In an instant the Zouaves were on their feet and, with a cheer, +went at the village. The Germans in possession fired rapidly, as +the French approached, and then hastily evacuated it; the Zouaves +taking possession, and holding it, under a tremendous fire.</p> +<p>All the afternoon the battle raged, villages being taken and +retaken, several times. The Germans, however, were gradually +gaining ground. Some of the regiments of Mobiles had quite lost all +order and discipline, and their officers in vain tried to persuade +them to hold the position in which they were placed. Two of the +staff officers were killed, three others wounded.</p> +<p>Percy had escaped, almost by a miracle. Over and over again, he +had carried the general's orders across ground swept by the enemy's +shot and shell. A horse had been killed under him, but he had not +received even a scratch; and now, mounted upon the horse of one of +the officers, who was killed, he was returning from carrying an +order across a very open piece of ground, at full gallop. Suddenly +he came upon a sight which--hurried as he was, and exposed as was +the position--caused him instantly to draw his rein, and come to a +full stop.</p> +<a id="PicC" name="PicC"></a><center><img src="images/c.jpg" alt= +"Illustration: The Children on the Battlefield." /></center> +<p>There, in the open field, were two children: the one a boy, of +six or seven years old; the other a little flaxen-haired, blue-eyed +girl, of five. They were quietly picking flowers.</p> +<p>"What are you doing here?" Percy asked, in astonishment.</p> +<p>He spoke in French and, receiving no answer, repeated the +question in German.</p> +<p>"What are you doing here?"</p> +<p>"If you please, sir," the boy answered, "I have been out in the +wood, with Lizzie, to pick flowers; and when I came back there was +a great fire in the house, and a great noise all round, and I +couldn't find father and mother; and so we came out, to look for +them."</p> +<p>Percy did not know what to do. It was too pitiful to leave the +poor little creatures where they were; and yet, he could not carry +them away. He had no doubt that their parents were hid in the +woods.</p> +<p>"Look here," he said; "if I take Lizzie upon my horse, will you +run along after me?"</p> +<p>"No, no," the little girl said, vehemently.</p> +<p>There was no time for parley.</p> +<p>"Look here, do you see those soldiers lying down in a ditch?" +Percy asked, pointing to a line of Mobiles, not fifty yards in +front.</p> +<p>The children nodded.</p> +<p>"Now look here, the best thing you can possibly do is to play at +being soldiers. It is capital fun. You lie down quite flat in that +ditch, and throw little stones over the bank. Don't you go away. +Don't get up, whatever you do; and if you are good children, and +play nicely, I will send father and mother to you, if I can find +them. If they don't come, you go on playing at soldiers till all +this noise stops; and then, when it is quite quiet, you go home, +and wait there till father and mother come back."</p> +<p>The children were delighted with the idea, and threw themselves +flat in the bottom of the ditch; and Percy went on again, at full +gallop. The French were now being driven back, towards the point +where the valley narrowed again; and many of the Mobiles were in +full flight. General Cambriels, therefore, withdrew his artillery +to a point where they could cover the movements; and then ordered a +rapid retreat--ten regiments of line, and the Zouaves, acting as +rear guard.</p> +<p>It was already getting dark, and the movements were carried out +with but slight loss. The Germans, contented with their success, +attempted no movement in pursuit.</p> +<h2><a name="Ch12" id="Ch12">Chapter 12</a>: The Surprise.</h2> +<p>After the check in the Vosges, General Cambriels found it +impossible to restore sufficient order, among the Mobiles, to +enable him to show face again to the enemy. He was, besides, in +want of many articles of urgent necessity. Half his force were +shoeless; and the thin blouses which were--as has been said--all +the covering that many of the Mobiles had, were ill calculated to +resist the bitter cold which was already setting in. Ammunition, +too, as well as food, was short.</p> +<p>The general determined, therefore, upon falling back upon +Besancon, and reorganizing his forces there. A wound in his head, +too, which was insufficiently healed when he took the command, had +now broken out again; and his surgeon ordered absolute repose, for +a while.</p> +<p>Upon the day of the fight, Ralph had ridden slowly to the rear, +when he saw that the fight was going against the French. Hardened +as he was by his work, and with an excellent constitution, his +wound never for a moment assumed a troublesome aspect; but at the +end of a week he was able--keeping it, of course, in a sling--to +mount his horse, and report himself ready for duty. The +headquarters were now at Besancon; and Ralph could, had he applied +for it, have obtained leave to go to Dijon; but he had not done so, +as he had been so lately at home, and he thought that the sight of +his arm in a sling would be likely to make his mother more nervous, +and anxious on their account, than before.</p> +<p>The Germans were still at some distance from Besancon, being +watched by Colonel Tempe and his franc tireurs, and by the +irregular forces. A considerable army was now fast gathering at +Besancon, and the regimental and superior staff officers were hard +at work at the organization As aides-de-camp, the boys had little +to do; and therefore requested leave, for two or three days, to go +up to their old friends, the franc tireurs of Dijon. The general at +once granted the required permission; adding, with a smile:</p> +<p>"Don't forget you are officers now, lads, and get into any +hare-brained adventures, you know; and be sure you are back on +Thursday, as I expect General Michel--my successor--to arrive on +Friday; and I shall have to give you, as part of my +belongings."</p> +<p>"We are sure to be back, general."</p> +<p>And so they set off; taking, as usual, Tim Doyle with them, as +orderly and servant.</p> +<p>"Faith, and I am glad enough to be out in the open again, Mister +Ralph," Tim said, as they left Besancon behind. "After living out +in the woods, for six weeks; there does not seem room to breathe, +in a crowded town."</p> +<p>"It's jolly to be out again, Tim; but I don't know that I mind a +town again, for a few days."</p> +<p>"Ah, it's all very well for the likes of yees, Mister +Ralph--with your officer's uniform, and your arm in a sling, and +the girls all looking at you as a hero--but for me it's different, +entirely. Out in the open I feel that--except when there's anything +to do for your honors--I am my own master, and can plase myself. +Here in the town I am a common hussar; and my arm is just weary +with saluting to all the fellows, with a sword by their side, that +I meet in the street.</p> +<p>"Then there's no chance of any fighting, as long as we're shut +up in the walls of a town; and what's the use of being decked up in +uniform, except to fight? Is there any chance of just the least +scrimmage in the world, while we are back again with the boys?" he +asked, persuasively.</p> +<p>The boys laughed.</p> +<p>"Not much, Tim; but we shall be pretty close to the enemy, and +something may turn up, at any moment. But surely you've had enough, +in the last six weeks?"</p> +<p>"Pretty well, Mister Percy--pretty well; but you see, the last +affair didn't count."</p> +<p>"Oh, didn't it count!" Ralph said, looking at his arm. "I think +it counted for two or three fights and, if you were not hit, I am +sure you were fired at often enough to satisfy the most desperate +lover of fighting, Tim."</p> +<p>"I was fired at often enough, I daresay, Mister Ralph; and I +can't say that I liked it, entirely. It isn't so mighty +pleasant--sitting like a stiff statue behind the general, with the +shells falling about you like peas, and not allowed the divarshin +of a single shot back, in return.</p> +<p>"'Shoot away,' says I, 'as hard as you like; but let's shoot +back, in return.'"</p> +<p>The boys laughed, and the day passed pleasantly as they rode, +and talked. The dusk had already fallen when they reached a party +of franc tireurs. It was not their own corps, nor could the officer +in command tell exactly where they could find them.</p> +<p>"We are scattered over a considerable extent of country," he +said; "and the colonel, alone, could tell you how we are all +placed. I expect that he will be here, tonight; and your best plan +will be to stay here, till he comes. We have not much to offer you, +but such as it is, it is at your service."</p> +<p>After a moment's consultation, the boys agreed to accept the +offer; as they had palpably more chance of meeting Colonel Tempe, +there, than in a journey through the woods, at night; and in +another ten minutes their horses were tied to trees, and they were +sitting by a blazing fire, with the officers of franc tireurs. The +village consisted of only three or four houses and, as there were +fifty men in the party upon which they had come, they bivouacked +under the trees, hard by.</p> +<p>"How far off are the Germans?" Ralph asked, when dinner was +over; and they lay by the fire, smoking cigars.</p> +<p>"Ten miles or so," the officer answered, carelessly.</p> +<p>"No chance of their coming this way, I hope," Ralph laughed. "We +were very nearly caught near Saverne, once."</p> +<p>"So I heard," the officer said, "but I am rather skeptical as to +these night surprises. In nine cases out of ten--mind, I don't mean +for a moment that it was so in your case--but in nine cases out of +ten, these rumors of night attacks are all moonshine."</p> +<p>"Perhaps so," Ralph said, a little gravely--for he had already +noticed that the discipline was very different, among these men, +than that to which he had been accustomed among the franc tireurs +of Dijon; "perhaps so, but we can hardly be too careful.</p> +<p>"How do you all like Colonel Tempe?"</p> +<p>"The colonel would be an excellent fellow, were he not our +colonel," the officer laughed. "He is a most unconscionable man. +For ever marching, and drilling, and disciplining. If he had his +way, he would make us like a regiment of line; as if there could be +any good in carrying out all that sort of thing, with franc +tireurs. He had about half of us together, for three or four days; +and I give you my word it was as bad as slavery. Drill, drill, +drill, from morning till night. I was heartily glad, I can tell +you, when I got away with this detachment."</p> +<p>Ralph saw that his new acquaintance was one of that innumerable +class who conceived that drill and discipline were absurdities, and +that it was only necessary for a Frenchman to shoulder a gun for +him to be a soldier; so he easily avoided argument, by turning the +subject. For a couple of hours they chatted; and then, as the fire +was burning low, and the men had already laid down to sleep, Ralph +suggested that they should do the same.</p> +<p>"I will walk round the sentries first, with you, if you like," +he said.</p> +<p>"Sentries!" the other said, with a laugh; "there is my sentry," +and he pointed to a man standing, ten paces off, leaning against a +tree. "The men have marched all day--they only came in an hour +before you did--and I am not going to waste their strength by +putting half of them out to watch the forest.</p> +<p>"No, no, I am no advocate for harassing my men."</p> +<p>"Good night, then," Ralph said, briefly, and he wrapped himself +in his cloak, and lay down.</p> +<p>"We are not accustomed to this sort of thing, Percy," he +whispered to his brother, in English, "and I don't like it. No +wonder our franc tireurs do so badly, if this is a sample of their +discipline."</p> +<p>"I don't like it either, Ralph. The Prussians are advancing; and +if that fellow last heard of them as ten miles off, they are as +likely as not to be only two. I shan't be sorry when morning +comes."</p> +<p>"Nor I either, Percy. However, here we are, and we have no +authority over this fellow; so we must make the best of it, and +hope that--for once--folly will not have its just reward."</p> +<p>So saying, the boys remained silent for the night. But although +silent, neither of them slept much--Ralph especially, whose arm was +still very sore, and at times painful, hardly closed his eyes. He +told himself it was absurd, but he could not help listening, with +painful attention.</p> +<p>Had the night been a quiet one, he need not have strained his +ears; for as he knew, from the many hours he had passed at night +upon guard, the hush is so intense--in these great forests--that +one can hear the fall of a mountain stream, miles away; and the +snapping of a twig, or almost the falling of a leaf, will catch the +ear. The night, however, was windy; and the rustle of the pine +forest would have deadened all sound, except anything sharp, and +near.</p> +<p>The sentry did not appear similarly impressed with the necessity +for any extraordinary attention. He was principally occupied in +struggling against cold, and drowsiness. He walked up and down, he +stamped his foot, hummed snatches of songs, yawned with great +vigor, and so managed to keep awake for two hours; when he roused +the next for duty, and lay down with a grunt of relief.</p> +<p>At last, after keeping awake for hours, Ralph dozed off. How +long he slept, he knew not; but he was roused into full wakefulness +by a touch on the shoulder, and by hearing Tim Doyle whisper:</p> +<p>"Hist, Mister Ralph, I've my doubts that there is something +wrong. I couldn't sleep, in this camp without watch or outposts; +and for the last quarter of an hour, I fancy I've been hearing +noises. I don't know which way they are coming, but it seems to me +they are all round us. I may be wrong, sir, but as sure as the +piper--"</p> +<p>"Hush, Tim!" Ralph said to the Irishman, who had crawled +noiselessly along, and had lain down by his side.</p> +<p>"Percy, are you awake?"</p> +<p>"Yes, I woke at Tim's whisper. Listen."</p> +<p>They did listen; and distinctly, above the sighing of the wind, +they could hear a rustling, cracking noise. Day was just breaking, +but the light was not sufficiently strong to show objects with any +distinctness, among the trees.</p> +<p>"By Jove, we are surrounded!" Percy said; and was just going to +alarm the camp when the sentry, startled into wakefulness, +challenged and fired.</p> +<p>The franc tireurs woke, and leaped to their feet. Percy and Tim +were about to do the same, when Ralph held them down.</p> +<p>"Lie still," he said, "for your lives."</p> +<p>His words were not out of his lips, when a tremendous volley +rang out all round them; and half the franc tireurs fell.</p> +<p>"Now!" Ralph said, leaping up, "make a rush for a house.</p> +<p>"To the houses, all of you," he shouted, loudly. "It is our only +chance. We shall be shot down, here, like sheep."</p> +<p>The officer of the franc tireurs had already atoned for his +carelessness, by his life; and the men obeyed Ralph's call and, +amidst a heavy fire, rushed across the fifty yards of open space to +the houses. The door was burst in, with the rush.</p> +<p>Ralph had not stopped at the first house but, followed by his +brother and Tim Doyle, had run farther on; and entered the last +house in the village.</p> +<p>"Why did you not go in with the others, Ralph? We have no chance +of defending ourselves, here. We have only our revolvers."</p> +<p>"We have no chance of defending ourselves anywhere, Percy," +Ralph said. "There must be a couple of hundred of them, at least; +and not above fifteen or twenty, at most, of the franc tireurs +gained the houses. Resistance is utterly useless; and yet, had I +been with those poor fellows, I could not have told them to +surrender, when they would probably be shot, five minutes +afterwards. We should be simply throwing away our lives, without +doing the least good."</p> +<p>There was a heavy firing now heard and, a moment after, half a +dozen shots were fired through the window. Then there was a rush of +soldiers towards the door, which Ralph had purposely left open.</p> +<p>"We surrender," Ralph shouted, in German, coming forward to meet +them. "We are French officers."</p> +<p>"Don't fire," a voice said, and then a young officer came +forward.</p> +<p>"You are not franc tireurs?" he asked, for the light was still +insufficient to enable him to distinguish uniforms.</p> +<p>"We are officers of the army, upon General Cambriels' staff. +This man is an orderly.</p> +<p>"Here are our swords. We surrender, as prisoners of war."</p> +<p>The German officer bowed.</p> +<p>"Keep your swords, for the present, gentlemen. I am not in +command."</p> +<p>At this moment, another officer came up.</p> +<p>"Who have we here, Von Hersen? Why do you make prisoners?"</p> +<p>"They are two staff officers, major."</p> +<p>"Hem," said the major, doubtfully.</p> +<p>"Well, if you are an officer," he continued, "order your men to +cease their resistance."</p> +<p>The franc tireurs, most of whom had taken refuge in the same +cottage, were still defending themselves desperately; and were +keeping up a heavy fire, from the windows.</p> +<p>"I will order them to surrender, at once," Ralph said, quietly; +"if you give me your word that they shall be treated as prisoners +of war."</p> +<p>"I will do nothing of the sort, sir," the German answered.</p> +<p>"Then I shall certainly not advise them to surrender," Ralph +said, firmly. "I have no authority, whatever, over them; but if I +give advice, it would be that they should sell their lives as +dearly as possible."</p> +<p>The officer swore a deep German oath, and strode off. For five +more minutes the fight continued round the cottage, many of the +Germans falling; then a rush was made, there was a fierce contest +inside the house--shouts, shrieks, cries for mercy--and then all +was still.</p> +<p>The young Barclays and Tim were now told to sit down near a +tree, at a short distance off; with two sentries, with loaded +rifles, standing over them. The German soldiers took from the +houses what few articles they fancied, and then set fire to them; +sitting down and eating their breakfast as the flames shot up. At a +short distance from where the Barclays were sitting was a group of +some eight or ten franc tireurs, and six or seven peasants, guarded +by some soldiers.</p> +<p>Near them the German major and two lieutenants were talking. One +of the young men appeared to take little interest in the +conversation; but the other was evidently urging some point, with +great earnestness; and the major was equally plainly refusing his +request, for he stamped his foot angrily, and shook his head.</p> +<p>"What a type that major is, of the brutal species of German," +Ralph said. "One used to meet them, sometimes. Their officers are +either particularly nice fellows, mere machines, or great brutes; +apparently we have a specimen of each of them, here."</p> +<p>The officers passed near enough for the Barclays to catch what +they were saying.</p> +<p>The young lieutenant was very pale.</p> +<p>"For the last time, major, I implore you."</p> +<p>"For the last time, Lieutenant von Hersen," the major said, +brutally, "I order you to do your duty and, by Heavens, if you +speak another word, I will put you in arrest!"</p> +<p>The young lieutenant turned silently away, called up twenty men, +and ordered them to place the franc tireurs and the peasants +against a wall.</p> +<p>"This is horrible, Ralph," Percy said. "That scoundrel is going +to shoot them, in cold blood."</p> +<p>"I protest against this execution," Ralph said, in a loud tone, +advancing towards the major, "as a cold-blooded murder, and a +violation of all the rights of war."</p> +<p>"Hold your tongue, sir," the German major said, turning to him +furiously, "or, by Heavens, I will put you up there, too!"</p> +<p>"You dare not," Ralph said, firmly. "Outrage, as you do, every +law of civilization and humanity; you dare not shoot an officer of +the army, in cold blood."</p> +<p>The major turned black with passion.</p> +<p>"By Heavens!" he exclaimed.</p> +<p>But the officer who had not--hitherto--interposed, threw himself +before him.</p> +<p>"Pardon me, major," he said, respectfully, "but the Frenchman is +right. It would bring discredit upon the whole army to touch these +prisoners of war.</p> +<p>"In the other matter, I have nothing to say. The order has been +published that franc tireurs, and peasants sheltering them, shall +be shot; and it is not for me to discuss orders, but to obey +them--but this is a matter affecting all our honors."</p> +<p>The major stood, for a moment, irresolute; but he knew well that +the German military authorities would punish, probably with death, +the atrocity which he meditated; and he said hoarsely, to some of +the men near:</p> +<p>"Tie their arms behind their backs, and take them farther into +the wood."</p> +<p>Ralph, his brother, and Tim Doyle were hurried into the wood by +their guards but--strict as is the discipline of the German +army--they could see that they disapproved, in the highest degree, +of the conduct of their commanding officer.</p> +<p>They were still near enough to see what was passing in the +village. Not a man of the franc tireurs begged his life, but stood +upright against the wall. Two of the peasants imitated their +example, as did a boy of not over thirteen years of age. Two other +lads of the same age, and a peasant, fell on their knees and prayed +piteously for life.</p> +<p>The young officer turned round towards the major in one, now +mute, appeal. It was in vain.</p> +<p>"Put your rifles within a foot of their heads," the lieutenant +said. "Fire!"</p> +<p>When the smoke cleared away, the soldiers were standing alone; +and the peasants and franc tireurs lay, in a confused mass, on the +ground.</p> +<p>The lieutenant walked up to the major with a steady step, but +with a face as pale as ashes.</p> +<p>"I have done my duty, Major Kolbach; your orders are +obeyed."</p> +<p>Then, without another word, he drew out his revolver, put it +rapidly to his temple, and blew out his brains [an historical +fact].</p> +<p>Brutal as Major Kolbach was, he started back in horror as the +young lieutenant fell dead at his feet; while a cry of surprise and +consternation broke from the men. The major did not say a word, but +turned away and paced up and down, with disturbed steps; while the +other lieutenant bent over the body of his comrade and, seeing that +he was dead, in a hushed voice ordered the men who had run up to +dig a grave, under the trees, and bring him there.</p> +<p>When this was done he ordered the men to fall in--placing the +Barclays, and Tim in their midst--and then went up to the major and +saluted, saying coldly that the men were ready to march. The major +nodded, signed to the orderly who was holding his horse to +approach, vaulted into the saddle, and rode along the road back +toward the main body of the army. The lieutenant gave the word, and +the column marched off; leaving behind it the still smoking houses, +and the still warm bodies of some sixty men.</p> +<p>There was a general gloom over the faces of the men; and no one +could suppose, from their air, that they were returning from a +successful expedition, in which they had annihilated a body of +enemy fifty strong, with the loss of only five or six of their own +men. Discipline was, however, too strict for a word of blame, or +even of comment to be spoken; and not a sound was heard but the +heavy, measured tramp as the troops marched back through the +forests. The major rode on, moodily, some forty or fifty yards +ahead of the main body.</p> +<p>They had not gone half a mile before there was a shot fired in +the wood, close to the road. The major gave a start, and nearly +fell from his horse; then recovered himself, and turned to ride +back to the column, when there was another shot, and he fell off +his horse, heavily, to the ground.</p> +<p>The column had instinctively halted, and the lieutenant gave the +word, "Load."</p> +<p>A shout of triumph was heard in the wood, "Thirty-one!" and then +all was still.</p> +<p>"That's the old fellow who saved my life, ten days ago, Percy," +Ralph said; "and by Jove! much obliged to him as I was, then, I do +think that I am more grateful now."</p> +<p>Finding that the shots were not repeated, some twenty or thirty +skirmishers were sent into the woods; but returned, in ten minutes, +without finding any trace of the man who had shot the major.</p> +<p>The lieutenant now took the command. There was a continuation of +the halt, for ten minutes, while the major was hastily buried by +the roadside; a rough cross being put up to mark the spot, and a +deep cross cut made in the two nearest trees so that, even if the +cross were overthrown, the place of the burial might be found +afterwards, if necessary. Then the corps marched on again.</p> +<p>The first use which the lieutenant made of his authority--even +before giving directions for the burial--was to order the cords of +the prisoners to be cut. Then the corps continued its march and, by +the brightened faces of the men, it could be seen easily enough how +unpopular their late commander had been; and that they cherished +but slight animosity against the slayer. In a short time they +struck up one of their marching songs and--prisoners as they +were--the Barclays could not but admire the steady, martial bearing +of the men, as they strode along, making the woods echo with the +deep chorus.</p> +<p>In three hours' march they reached the village which the troops +had left, the evening before, to surprise the franc tireurs; +having, as Ralph had learned from the lieutenant in command, +received information from a spy of their arrival at the village, +late at night; and having started at once, under his guidance.</p> +<p>Here a considerable German force was assembled. The prisoners +were not unkindly treated; but Tim Doyle was, of course, separated +from them. Some astonishment was expressed at their youth; but it +was assumed that they had been pupils at Saint Cyr or the +Polytechnic, many of whom received commissions owing to the +impossibility of finding officers for the immense new levies. +Several of the officers came in to chat with them and, as these had +been also engaged in the fights, ten days before, there were many +questions to ask, upon either side.</p> +<p>The boys learned that they would be sent on, next day; would be +marched to Luneville, and sent thence by train.</p> +<p>"They are a fine set of fellows," Ralph said, when their last +visitor had left them. "Good officers, unquestionably; and when +they are nice, capital fellows. I can't make out why they should be +so brutal, as soldiers; for they are undoubtedly a kindly +race."</p> +<p>"No doubt," Percy said, but he was thinking of other matters, +and not paying much attention to his brother.</p> +<p>"Do you think we have any chance of making our escape, +Ralph?"</p> +<p>"Oh, we shall escape, fast enough," Ralph answered, confidently. +"With our knowledge of German, and looking so young, there can be +no great difficulty about it, when we once get to the end of our +journey; but it's no use our thinking about it, at present. We +shall be a good deal too closely looked after. I only hope they +will send us to Mayence, or Coblentz; and not to one of the +fortresses at the other end of Germany.</p> +<p>"Mind, we must not give our parole."</p> +<p>The next day, when they were summoned to start, they found that +there were fifty or sixty other prisoners who had been brought in, +from other directions. Some belonged to line regiments; but the +greater portion, by far, were Mobiles who, in the retreat of +General Cambriels, had been cut off or left behind and, after +hiding in the woods for some days, were being gradually found and +brought in. The Barclays were the only officers. They therefore +took their places at the head of the prisoners; who formed, four +deep--with an escort of Uhlans--and set off on their march.</p> +<p>It was four days' march. The weather was cold and clear, and the +Barclays were but little fatigued when they marched into Luneville. +The greater part of the prisoners were, however, in a pitiable +condition. Some were so footsore that they could hardly put one +foot before the other. Others tottered with fatigue, and the men of +the escort frequently used the flats of their swords, to compel +them to keep together. As they marched through the streets of +Luneville, the people in the streets uncovered; and the women waved +their hands to them, and pressed forward and offered them fruit and +bread, in spite of the orders of the escort.</p> +<p>They were taken straight to the railway station, where they were +put into a shed. Ralph and Percy had gained the goodwill of the +sergeant in command of the escort, by the manner in which they had +aided him by interpreting to the rest of the prisoners, and by +doing their best to cheer them up, and take things smooth; and they +now asked him to request the officer in command, at the railway +station, to allow them to walk about until the train started, on +parole. The request was--upon the favorable report of the +sergeant--granted at once; and they were told that no train would +go off until next morning, and that they might sleep in the town, +if they chose.</p> +<p>Thanking the officer for the permission, they went out of the +station; when a tall, big-bearded German sergeant stopped before +them.</p> +<p>"Donner wetter!" he exclaimed, "so here you are, again!"</p> +<p>The boys gave a little start; for they recognized, at once, the +sergeant who had so closely questioned them in the cabaret, upon +the night when they had carried off and hung the schoolmaster. +Ralph saw, at once, the importance of conciliating the man; as a +report from him of the circumstances might render their position a +most unpleasant one and--even in the event of nothing worse coming +of it--would almost ensure their captivity in some prison upon the +farther side of Prussia, instead of at one of the frontier +fortresses.</p> +<p>"Ah, sergeant, how are you?" he said, gaily. "It is our fate, +you see, to be made prisoners. You were very nearly taking us, and +now here we are."</p> +<p>"A nice trick you played me," the sergeant said, surlily, "with +your woodcutters, and your lame brother, and your sick sister, and +your cask of beer. I got a nice reprimand over that affair."</p> +<p>"Come, sergeant," Ralph said, laughing, "let bygones be bygones. +All is fair in war, you know, and we did not touch a single hair of +any of your men's heads. All we wanted was the schoolmaster. It +would not do you any good to talk about it, now, and it might do us +harm. It's quite bad enough for us, as it is."</p> +<p>"You're nice boys, you are," the sergeant said, with his face +relaxing into a smile. "To think of my being taken in, by two lads +like you. Well, you did it well--monstrously well, I will say--for +you never flinched an eyelash.</p> +<p>"So you are officers, after all. I never suspected anything +about it, till three hours afterwards, when we went to relieve the +sentry; and found him lying there, tied up like a bundle. We +couldn't think, even then, what it meant, for you had made no +attack; and it wasn't till morning that we found that the old +schoolmaster had been fetched out of bed, and carried off on the +heads of twenty men.</p> +<p>"Well, it was well done, and I bear you no malice."</p> +<p>"That's right, sergeant. Now come and have a jug of beer with +us; you know, we had one with you, before. Don't you remember, we +drank to the health of King William? If you like, you shall return +the pledge, by drinking to Napoleon."</p> +<p>The sergeant laughed.</p> +<p>"I'll do that," he said. "You said, if you remember, when I +proposed the king, that you did not wish to hear of his death; and +I can say the same for your Napoleon. Especially," he added with a +chuckle, "as he's our prisoner."</p> +<p>The boys went into a cabaret near, and drank a glass of beer +with the sergeant; and then--saying "Goodbye," very heartily--left +him, and went into the town; well pleased to have got so well out +of a scrape which might have been a very unpleasant one.</p> +<p>They slept at a hotel, and were down at the station at the +appointed time. It was a long journey--thirty-six hours--to +Mayence. But the boys were too pleased--when they saw the line that +the train was following--to have cared, had it been twice as far. +The difficulties of escape from the western fortresses would have +been immense; whereas, at Mayence, they were comparatively close to +the frontier. At Mayence, too, the position of the prisoners was +comfortable. They were allowed to live anywhere in the town, and to +take their meals when they chose. They were obliged, twice a day, +to answer at the muster roll; and were not, of course, allowed to +go outside the fortifications.</p> +<p>The one drawback, to the position of the French officers, was +the utterly insufficient sum which the Prussian Government allowed +them for board and lodging--only forty-five francs a month; that is +to say, fifteen pence a day. It is needless to say that the +officers who had nothing else to depend upon literally starved, +upon this pittance; which was the more inexcusable that the French +Government allowed more than twice this sum to the German officers +who were taken prisoners.</p> +<p>Upon this head, however, the boys had no discomfort. They had +plenty of money in their pockets, for present uses; and they knew +that they could obtain further supplies by writing home, via +Switzerland. They were, therefore, unaffectedly glad when the train +came to a stop at the station of Mayence, and the order was given +for all to alight.</p> +<h2><a name="Ch13" id="Ch13">Chapter 13</a>: The Escape.</h2> +<p>The first thing that the Barclays did, after reporting +themselves, was to settle themselves in a lodging--no very easy +thing to find, for the town was crowded with troops, and prisoners. +However, as they were able to pay a higher sum than the great +majority of French officers, in their position, they had no very +great difficulty in finding a place to suit them. The rooms were +purposely taken in a large house, with a staircase common to a +number of families living on different floors; so that anyone going +in or out would be less likely to be noticed than in a smaller +house. They were also careful in choosing rooms so placed that they +could go in and out of the door on to the staircase, without being +noticed by the people with whom they lodged.</p> +<p>Ralph's arm was now extremely painful, the long march having +inflamed the wound. He had, therefore, on reporting himself, begged +that a surgeon might attend him; and had also asked, as a great +favor, that his servant--the hussar Doyle--might be allowed to +remain with him; stating that, in that case, he would pay for his +lodgings and provide him with food. As the prison in which the +private soldiers were confined was, at the time, crowded; the +request was complied with.</p> +<p>For the next week Ralph suffered greatly with his arm, and had +to keep his room. After that the inflammation subsided; and in +another fortnight he was able to dispense, for the first time since +he received his wound, with a sling. In the meantime he had made +the acquaintance of the people with whom he lodged; who were very +kind to their wounded lodger, and whose hearts he completely won by +being able to chat to them in their native tongue, like one of +themselves. The family consisted of a father, who was away all day +at the railway station, where he was a clerk; the mother, a +garrulous old woman; and a daughter, a pretty blue-eyed girl of +about Ralph's age, who assisted her mother to wait upon them. She +had a lover, away as a soldier in the army besieging Paris; and the +thought that he might be wounded, or taken prisoner, made her very +pitiful to the young officers.</p> +<p>Ralph Barclay had--for some days--been intending to sound her as +to her willingness to aid them when she, herself, began it one day. +She had cleared away their dinner, and was standing--as she often +did--talking with them, when she lowered her voice, so as not to be +overheard by her mother in the next room:</p> +<p>"I wonder you don't try to get away. Lots of French officers +have done so."</p> +<p>"That is just what we are thinking of, Christine. We have only +been waiting till my arm was out of a sling, and we want you to +help us."</p> +<p>"How can I help you?" the girl asked.</p> +<p>"In the first place, you can buy us clothes. It would excite +suspicion if we were to buy them, ourselves. Percy and I were +thinking of going as girls--not pretty girls, of course, like you, +Christine--but great, rough peasant girls."</p> +<p>Christine laughed, and colored</p> +<p>"You would be too tall," she said.</p> +<p>"We should be rather tall," Ralph said, ruefully. "We have grown +so horribly, in the last few months. Still, some women are as tall +as we are."</p> +<p>"Yes, some women are," Christine said, "but men look after them +and say, 'What big, gawky women!' and you don't want to be looked +after. If people did so, they would see that you didn't walk one +bit like a woman, and that your shoulders were very wide, and your +arms very strong, and--</p> +<p>"Oh no! It wouldn't do at all. I must think it over.</p> +<p>"I suppose you want that great blue-coated bear to go?" and she +nodded at Tim Doyle who--not being able to speak a word of her +language--was always indulging in the most absurd pantomime of love +and devotion; causing screams of laughter to the merry German +girl.</p> +<p>"Yes, Tim must go too, Christine."</p> +<p>"Ha, ha!" laughed the girl. "Fancy him as a woman."</p> +<p>"What is she saying about me, Mister Percy?"</p> +<p>"She says you would make a very pretty woman, Tim."</p> +<p>"Tare and ages, Mister Percy," Tim said, taking it quite +seriously, "how could I do it, at all? I'd have to shave off all my +beautiful beard and mustaches and, even then, I doubt if you would +mistake me for a woman."</p> +<p>The boys screamed with laughter, and translated the Irishman's +speech to Christine; who laughed so that her mother came into the +room.</p> +<p>"Look here, children," she said, smiling, "I don't want to know +what you are talking about. If anything of any sort happens, I may +be asked questions; and I don't want to have to tell stories. I +can't help hearing, if you leave the door open, and laugh +so--indeed, all the neighborhood might hear it; so please shut the +door, in future."</p> +<p>So saying, she again went back to her work in the next room.</p> +<p>"Goodbye, I'm going, too," Christine said. "I will think it +over, by tomorrow morning, and tell you what you are to do."</p> +<p>The next morning, the boys were very anxious to hear Christine's +proposals; for although they had quite made up their minds to try +their own plan, if hers was not feasible, still they felt that, +with her knowledge of the country, she was likely, at any rate, to +give them good advice.</p> +<p>Until she had cleared away breakfast, Christine said nothing. +Then she took out her knitting, and sat against the window.</p> +<p>"Now," she began, "I will tell you what I have thought of. It +would be easy enough, if it was not for him. He's so big, and so +red, and he doesn't speak German.</p> +<p>"Oh dear, he's very tiresome!" and she shook her head at Tim; +who smiled, laid his hand on his breast, and endeavored to look +affecting.</p> +<p>Christine laughed.</p> +<p>"The only thing I can think of, for him, is that he shall go out +as a Jew peddler; with one of their broad hats, and a tray of +little trinkets. He might pass, if none of the soldiers took it +into their heads to buy."</p> +<p>The proposition was translated to Tim Doyle.</p> +<p>"Is it me, your honor--me, Tim Doyle, a good Catholic, and come +of honest people--that's to turn myself into a haythin Jew?" the +Irishman burst out, with great indignation. "It was bad enough that +I should be made into a woman, but a haythin Jew! I put it to your +honors, it's nayther sinsible nor dacent."</p> +<p>The boys went off in screams of laughter. Christine laughed for +a moment, too, when they translated Tim's speech to her; and then +looked indignant that the proposition, which had cost her so much +thought, should be so scornfully rejected.</p> +<p>Tim saw the look, and at once went on, persuasively:</p> +<p>"Sure now, darlint Miss Christine, don't be angry wid me, out of +your bright blue eyes! But is it raisonable--is it natural to ask a +Christian man to make a haythin Jew of himself? Would you like it, +yourself?"</p> +<p>When the boys could stop laughing, they translated Tim's +appeal.</p> +<p>"Did you ever see such an absurd man?" she said, laughing. "As +if it could make any difference to his religion. Tell him I am a +good Catholic, too, but I should not mind dressing up as a +Jewess."</p> +<p>"Sure, thin, darlint," Tim exclaimed, when her speech was +translated, "I will go as a Jew, directly, if you'll go with me and +be my Jewess."</p> +<p>Christine laughed, blushed, shook her head and said, "Nonsense!" +upon hearing Tim's proposition.</p> +<p>"But seriously, Christine," Ralph said, "the objection which you +mention to the Jew pedlar's disguise is important. Full as the +streets are of soldiers looking about, he could hardly hope to go +from here through the streets, and out at the gate, without someone +asking him about the contents of his box."</p> +<p>Christine allowed--a little pettishly, at the failure of her +plan--that it certainly was likely.</p> +<p>"The real difficulty is to get outside the gate," Ralph said, +thoughtfully. "After that, I should have no fear."</p> +<p>"What are you thinking of doing, then?" Christine asked.</p> +<p>"I was thinking of dressing Percy, and myself, in the clothes of +young peasants; and putting Tim into something of the same sort, +with a great bandage round his face. Then I should say that we were +two lads, from some place near the frontier, who had come here to +meet our uncle; who had had his jaw shattered, in battle. That +would explain Tim's not being able to talk at all; and as to looks, +he is red enough for a German, anywhere."</p> +<p>"Yes," Christine said, "that would do, very well; but of course, +you would be liable to be asked for papers."</p> +<p>"Of course," Ralph said, "but we must risk something."</p> +<p>"I have an idea," Christine said, suddenly, clapping her hands. +"I have some cousins living at Wiesbaden. These are three boys, and +I am sure they would do anything for me. I will go out to +Wiesbaden, tomorrow, and ask them to lend me their papers, just for +one day. Wiesbaden is not your way, at all; but for that very +reason you would get out more easily there, and be less likely to +be suspected, or followed. You could cross the Rhine somewhere near +Saint Goar.</p> +<p>"I shall have to tell some sad stories to my cousins, and coax +them a great deal. Still, I daresay I shall succeed; and then you +can go boldly across the bridge, and into the railway station, and +take a ticket for Wiesbaden. You can have an envelope, ready +directed, and put the papers into the post there."</p> +<p>"The very thing, Christine. You are a darling!" Ralph exclaimed, +catching her by the waist and kissing her, before she had time to +think of resistance.</p> +<p>"I shan't do anything at all for you," Christine said, laughing +and blushing, "if you misbehave in that way."</p> +<p>"I couldn't help it, Christine--not even if your mother had been +looking on.</p> +<p>"And now, about our clothes."</p> +<p>"I couldn't buy them," Christine said. "I never could go into a +shop and buy men's clothes."</p> +<p>The thing was so evident that, for a moment, the boys' looks +fell. Then Christine said, coloring very much:</p> +<p>"There is a box, in my room, of Karl's things. He is my cousin, +you know; and he was working as a gardener, here, till he had to go +out in the Landwehr--so, of course, he left his things here, for us +to take care of. He is about your size. I will take out one +suit--it won't hurt it--and you can put it on, and go out into the +town, and buy the things for all three of you."</p> +<p>"Capital!" the boys exclaimed. "It couldn't be better."</p> +<p>Ten minutes afterwards, Ralph went down the stairs and out into +the street, dressed as a German laborer in his best suit. He was a +little uneasy, at first; but no one noticed him, and he was soon in +a shop, haggling over the price of a peasant's coat--as if the +matter of a thaler, one way or other, was a thing of vital +importance to him. He bought the three suits at three different +shops--as he thought that it would look suspicious, if he were to +get them all at the same--and in an hour was back again. An hour +afterwards, Christine started for Wiesbaden.</p> +<p>The Barclays had reason to congratulate themselves that they had +not longer deferred their preparations for escape; for when +presenting themselves, as usual, that afternoon at the roll call, +they were told that they must hold themselves in readiness to leave +for one of the eastern fortresses, upon the following evening; as +another large batch of prisoners, from Metz, was expected to arrive +upon the following day.</p> +<p>In the evening, Christine returned from Wiesbaden; which is +distant only a quarter of an hour, by rail, from Mayence.</p> +<p>"I have got them," she said, "but if you only knew the trouble I +have had! What a bother boys are, to be sure!"</p> +<p>"Especially cousins--eh, Christine?"</p> +<p>"Especially cousins," Christine said, demurely.</p> +<p>After thanking her very warmly for her kindness, the Barclays +started out, and bought a variety of things which they thought +might be useful. They also bought a pretty gold watch and chain, to +give to Christine as a parting present.</p> +<p>The next morning they answered, as usual, to their early roll +call; and then, returning at once to their lodgings, changed their +clothes for those which Ralph had purchased. It was agreed that +they should not say goodbye to Christine's mother; in order that, +whatever she might suspect, she might be able to say that she knew +nothing of any idea, on the part of her lodgers, to make their +escape. Then Christine herself came in, to say goodbye; and went +half wild with delight, at the present. Then she said goodbye, +kissed the boys--without any affectation of objecting to it--and +then went to a window, to watch if they went safely down the +street.</p> +<p>The boys had no uneasiness, whatever, upon their own +account--for they had before passed so easily, among the Prussian +troops, that they felt quite confident in their disguise--but they +were uncomfortable as to Tim, whose inability to answer questions +would have at once betrayed them, had anyone addressed him. They +had not ventured to bandage up his face, as if wounded; as he would +have naturally, in that case, had a military pass. As the best +thing they could think of, they had shoved a large lump of cotton +into one of his cheeks--which gave him the appearance of having a +swelled face--and had instructed him to frequently put his hand up +to it, as if in great pain. Tim had plenty of shrewdness, and acted +his part admirably.</p> +<p>They passed across the bridge of boats, without question; and +into the railway station, which is just opposite its end. Here +soldiers and other officials swarmed; but the three walked along +carelessly, the two boys chatting together in German, Tim walking +with his hand up to his face, and giving an occasional stamp of +pain. He sat down with Percy on a seat in the station, while Ralph +went to the little window where tickets were being delivered. There +were a good many people waiting and, when it came to Ralph's turn, +and he put the papers in at the window, and asked for three +third-class tickets to Wiesbaden, the clerk scarcely glanced at +them; but handed the tickets over, without a question.</p> +<p>They then went into the third-class waiting room, and sat down. +There were a good many peasants, and others there; and when the +doors opened for them to go on to the platform, and enter the +carriages, they saw it was hopeless to try and get a carriage to +themselves. They did, therefore, the best they could; putting Tim +next to the window, while Percy sat next to, and Ralph opposite to +him. The rest of the compartment was filled with country +people.</p> +<p>"He seems in great pain," a good-natured peasant woman said, to +Ralph; as Tim rocked himself backwards and forwards, in his +anguish.</p> +<p>"Yes, he is very bad," Ralph said.</p> +<p>"Toothache?" asked the woman.</p> +<p>"Worse than that," Ralph said, gravely, "an abscess in the jaw. +He has just been to the hospital."</p> +<p>"Poor fellow!" the woman said. "Why does he not poultice it?</p> +<p>"I should advise you to poultice," she said, addressing Tim.</p> +<p>Tim gave a grunt--which might have meant anything--and Ralph +said, in a whisper:</p> +<p>"Don't talk to him. Poor uncle, he is so bad tempered, now, it +puts him in a rage if anyone speaks to him; because it hurts him +so, to answer. At ordinary times, he is very good tempered; but +now, oh!" and Ralph made a little pantomime, to express the extreme +badness of Tim's temper.</p> +<p>"You are not of Wiesbaden, are you?" the woman asked. "I do not +know you by sight."</p> +<p>"No," Ralph said; "we are from Holzhausen, a village some eight +miles upon the other side of Wiesbaden."</p> +<p>"Ah!" the woman said, "I have a sister living there; surely you +must know her. She is the wife of Klopstock, the carpenter."</p> +<p>"Surely," Ralph said, "she is my neighbor; everyone knows her. +She is very like you."</p> +<p>"Well now, you are the first person who has ever said that," the +woman said, surprised. "I am so short, and she is so tall."</p> +<p>"Yes, she is tall--very tall," Ralph said, very gravely; "but +there is something about the expression of your eyes which reminds +me of Mrs. Klopstock.</p> +<p>"Yes, the more I look at you, the more I see it," and Ralph +looked so earnestly, at the woman, that Percy had the greatest +difficulty in preventing himself going off into a shout of +laughter.</p> +<p>"I wonder I have never seen you, at Holzhausen," Ralph +continued.</p> +<p>"Well," the woman said, "it is years since I have been there. +You see, it is a long way, and my sister often comes into +Wiesbaden, and I see her; but in truth, her husband and I don't get +on very well together. You know his temper is--" and she lifted up +her hands.</p> +<p>"Yes, indeed," Ralph said. "His temper is, as you say, terrible. +Between ourselves, it is so well known that we have a saying, 'As +bad tempered as Klopstock the carpenter.' One can't say more than +that--</p> +<p>"But we are at Wiesbaden. Good morning."</p> +<p>"Good morning. I hope your uncle's tooth will be better, ere +long."</p> +<p>"I hope so, indeed, for all our sakes," Ralph said. "He is as +bad as Klopstock, at present."</p> +<p>So saying, they got out of the train and walked into the town. +When they had separated from the crowd, Percy could restrain +himself no longer, and went off into a scream of laughter.</p> +<p>"What is it, Mister Percy?" Tim asked, opening his lips for the +first time since they had left the house.</p> +<p>"Oh, Tim, if you had but heard!" Percy said, when he recovered +his voice. "Do you know you are as bad tempered as Klopstock, the +carpenter?"</p> +<p>"Sure, I never heard tell of him, Mister Percy; and if I have +been bad tempered, I haven't said much about it; and if the +carpenter had a wad of cotton as big as a cricket ball in one +cheek, as I have, it's small blame to him if he was out of +temper."</p> +<p>Both the boys laughed, this time; and then Ralph explained the +whole matter to Tim, who laughed more heartily than either of +them.</p> +<p>"Which way shall we go, Ralph?"</p> +<p>"I looked at the map, the last thing before starting, Percy; and +I noticed that the road went out past the gambling place. I dare +not take out the map again, to look at the plan of the town--it +would look too suspicious--so let us wander about, till we find the +place. It has large grounds, so we cannot miss it."</p> +<p>They were not long in finding the place they were looking for. +There was no mistaking it; with its long arcades leading up to the +handsome conversation rooms, its piece of water, and its +beautifully laid-out grounds.</p> +<p>"I should like to go in, and have a look at it," Percy said. "I +can hear the band playing, now."</p> +<p>"So should I," Ralph said, "but time is too precious. They will +find out at the muster, this afternoon, that we are missing and, as +we answered this morning, they will know that we cannot have got +far. We had better put as many miles between us as we can.</p> +<p>"First of all, though, let us put those papers Christine got us +into the envelope, and drop them into that post box. We should not +do badly, either, to buy three dark-colored blankets before we +start. It is terribly cold; and we shall want them, at night."</p> +<p>They therefore turned up into the town again; and then Ralph +separated from the others, and went in and bought the blankets. Ten +minutes later they were walking along, at a steady pace, from the +town. Each carried a stick. The boys carried theirs upon their +shoulder; with a bundle, containing a change of clothes and other +articles, slung upon it. Tim carried his bundle in one hand, and +walked using his stick in the other. When a short distance out of +the town, they stopped in a retired place; and put some strips of +plaster upon Tim's cheeks, and wrapped up his face with a white +bandage. It was, as he said, "mighty uncomfortable," but as he was +now able to dispense with the ball of cotton in his mouth, he did +not so much mind it.</p> +<p>The day was bitterly cold, for it was now the beginning of the +second week of November; but the party strode on, full of the +consciousness of freedom. They met but few people, upon their way; +and merely exchanged a brief good day with those they did meet. +They had brought some bread and cold meat with them, from Mayence; +and therefore had no need to go into any shops, at the villages +they passed.</p> +<p>They did not dare to sleep in a house, as it was certain that +some official would inquire for their papers; and therefore, when +it became dark, they turned off from the road and made for a wood, +at a short distance from it. Here they ate their supper, laid a +blanket on the ground, put the bundles down for pillows, and lay +down close together, putting the other two blankets over them.</p> +<p>"It's mighty cold," Tim said, "but we might be worse."</p> +<p>"It's better than a prison in Pomerania, by a long way," Ralph +answered. "By the look of the sky, and the dropping of the wind, I +think we shall have snow before morning."</p> +<p>At daybreak, next morning, they were up; but it was some little +time before they could start, so stiffened were their limbs with +the cold. Ralph's prognostication as to the weather had turned out +right, and a white coating of snow lay over the country. They now +set off and walked, for an hour, when they arrived at a large +village. Here it was agreed they should go in, and buy something to +eat. They entered the ale house, and called for bread, cheese, and +beer.</p> +<p>The landlord brought it and, as they expected, entered into +conversation with them. After the first remarks--on the sharpness +of the weather--Ralph produced a tin of portable soup, and asked +the landlord if he would have it heated, for their uncle.</p> +<p>"He cannot, as you see, eat solid food," Ralph said; "He had his +jaw broken by a shell, at Woerth."</p> +<p>"Poor fellow!" the landlord said, hastening away with the +soup.</p> +<p>"Are you going far?" he asked, on his return.</p> +<p>"To Saint Goar," Ralph said.</p> +<p>"But why does he walk?" the landlord asked. "He could have been +sent home, by train."</p> +<p>"Of course he could," Ralph said. "We walked over to see him, +and intended to have walked back again; but when the time came for +us to start, he said he would come, too. The surgeon said he was +not fit to go. Uncle had made up his mind to be off and, as the +surgeon would not give him an order, he started to walk. He says it +does not hurt him so much as the jolting of the train, and we shall +be home to breakfast."</p> +<p>An hour later they arrived at Saint Goarshaus. They were now +quite out of the track which prisoners escaping from Mayence would +be likely to take, and had not the slightest difficulty in getting +a boat to cross the Rhine.</p> +<p>"How beautiful the river is, here," Percy said.</p> +<p>"Yes it is, indeed," Ralph answered. "I believe that this is +considered one of the most lovely spots on the whole river. I can't +say that I think that that railway, opposite, improves it."</p> +<p>They landed at Saint Goar, and tramped gaily on to Castellan, +and slept in a barn near that village.</p> +<p>The next morning they were off before daybreak and, eight miles +farther, crossed the Moselle at Zell. They left the road before +they arrived at Alf; for they were now approaching the great road +between Coblentz and the south, and might come upon bodies of +troops upon the march, or halting; and might be asked troublesome +questions. They therefore struck upon a country lane and, keeping +among the hills, crossed the main road between Bertrich and +Wittlech; and slept in a copse, near Dudeldf. They had walked +five-and-thirty miles, and were so dead beat that even the cold did +not keep them awake.</p> +<p>Next morning they got a fresh supply of bread and cheese, at a +tiny village between Dudeldf and Bittburg and, leaving the latter +place to the left, made straight for the frontier, across the +hills. The road to the frontier ran through Bittburg; but they were +afraid of keeping to it, as there were sure to be troops at the +frontier. Several times they lost their way; but the pocket compass +and map, which they had brought with them, stood them in good stead +and, late in the evening, they arrived at the stream which forms +the frontier. It was, fortunately, very low; for the cold had +frozen up its sources. They had, therefore, little difficulty in +crossing and, tired as they were, gave a cheer upon finding +themselves in Luxembourg.</p> +<p>They tramped along merrily, until they came to a cottage; where +they boldly entered, and were received with the greatest kindness, +and hospitality. The Luxembourg people at once feared and hated +Prussia, and were delighted to do anything in their power for the +escaped prisoners. The peasant made a blazing fire, and some hot +coffee; and the tired travelers felt what a blessing it was to sit +down without listening, every moment, for the step of an enemy.</p> +<p>The peasants told them, however, that they were not yet +altogether safe for that, owing to the complaints of Prussia, both +the Dutch and Belgian Governments were arresting, and detaining, +escaped prisoners passing through their territories. After some +discussion the boys agreed that, next morning, they should dress +themselves in the change of clothes they had brought--which were +ordinary shooting suits--and should leave their other clothes +behind; and then walk as far as Spa, twenty miles to the north. +They would excite no suspicion in the minds of anyone who saw them +arrive; as they would merely be taken for three Englishmen, staying +at one of the numerous hotels there, returning from a walk. Their +feet however were so much swollen, the next morning, that they were +glad to remain another day quiet in the cottage; and the following +day they started, and walked gaily into Spa.</p> +<p>After strolling about the place, some time, they went to the +railway station at the time the evening train started for Brussels; +asked for tickets--in very English French--and, at eleven o'clock +at night, entered Brussels. Here their troubles were over. A good +night's rest, in a good hotel, completely set them up again and, +the next morning, they left by train for Dunkirk.</p> +<p>There they reported themselves to the French officer in command; +and received permission to go on board a Government steamer which +was to leave, the next morning, for Cherbourg.</p> +<h2><a name="Ch14" id="Ch14">Chapter 14</a>: A Perilous Expedition.</h2> +<p>Upon the eleventh of November the boys arrived at Tours. They +had started for that place, as the national headquarters, the +moment they arrived at Cherbourg. At Tours men's hopes were high +for, a week before, Aurelles de Paladine had driven back Von der +Tann, and reoccupied Orleans. Every hour fresh troops were +arriving, and passing forwards. The town was literally thronged +with soldiers, of all sorts: batteries of artillery, regiments of +cavalry, squadrons of Arab Spahis--looking strangely out of place +in their white robes, and unmoved countenance, in this scene of +European warfare--franc tireurs, in every possible variety of +absurd and unsuitable uniform.</p> +<p>In all this din and confusion, the young Barclays felt quite +bewildered. The first thing was, evidently, to get new uniforms; +then to report themselves. There was no difficulty about the former +matter, for every tailor in Tours had, for the time being, turned +military outfitter and, by dint of offering to pay extra, their +uniforms were promised for the next morning. That matter settled, +they determined to go at once to the Prefecture, and report +themselves.</p> +<p>As they turned out of the crowded Rue Royal, they received two +hearty slaps on the shoulder, which almost knocked them down; while +a hearty voice exclaimed:</p> +<p>"My dear boys, I am glad to see you!"</p> +<p>They looked round and--to their astonishment and delight--saw +Colonel Tempe. For a minute or two, the hand shakings and greetings +were so hearty that no questions could be asked.</p> +<p>"I thought a German prison would not hold you long, boys," the +colonel said. "I saw your father, as I came through Dijon; and I +said to him that I should be surprised if you did not turn up soon, +especially when I heard from him that you were at Mayence, only two +days' tramp from the frontier."</p> +<p>"But what are you doing here, colonel?"</p> +<p>"Just at present, I am working at headquarters. Between +ourselves, the army of the east is coming round to join Aurelles. +Our poor fellows were pretty nearly used up, and I found that I +could do little real good with the other corps. So I gave up the +command; and was sent here to confer with Gambetta, and he has kept +me.</p> +<p>"Now, what are you going to do?"</p> +<p>"We were going to report ourselves, colonel."</p> +<p>"No use going today--too late. Come and dine with me, at the +Bordeaux. Have you got rooms?"</p> +<p>"Not yet, colonel."</p> +<p>"Then I can tell you you won't get them, at all. The place is +crowded--not a bed to be had, for love or money. I've got rooms, by +the greatest good luck. One of you can have the sofa; the other an +armchair, or the hearth rug, whichever suits you best."</p> +<p>"Thank you, very much; we shall do capitally," the boys +said.</p> +<p>"And now, have you any news from Paris?"</p> +<p>"We have no late news from Paris but, worse still, the news gets +very slowly and irregularly into Paris. The pigeons seem to get +bewildered with the snow, or else the Prussians shoot them."</p> +<p>"But surely, with such an immense circle to guard, there could +be no great difficulty in a messenger finding his way in?"</p> +<p>"There is a difficulty, and a very great one," Colonel Tempe +said; "for of all who have tried, only one or two have succeeded. +Now come along, or we shall be late for dinner."</p> +<p>It was a curious medley at the table d'hote, at the Hotel de +Bordeaux. Generals, with their breasts covered with orders, and +simple franc tireurs; officers, of every arm of the service; +ministers and members of the late Corps Legislatif; an American +gentleman, with his family; English newspaper correspondents; army +contractors; and families, refugees from Paris. After dinner they +went to a cafe--literally crowded with officers--and thence to +Colonel Tempe's rooms, where they sat down quietly, to chat over +what had taken place since the last visit.</p> +<p>"But where is your Irishman? Your father told me he was with +you. I suppose you could not get him out."</p> +<p>"Oh yes, Tim's here," Ralph said, laughing, "but he ran across a +couple of Irishmen belonging to the foreign legion and--as he would +have been in our way, and we did not know where we were going to +sleep--we gave him leave till to-morrow morning, when he is to meet +us in front of the railway station."</p> +<p>"By the way, boys, I suppose you know you have each got a +step?"</p> +<p>"No," the boys cried. "Really?"</p> +<p>"Yes, really," the colonel said. "That good fellow, Cambriels, +sent in a strong report in your favor upon resigning his command; +rehearsing what you did with us, and requesting that the step might +be at once given to you. As a matter of course it was, in the next +Gazette."</p> +<p>"Of course, we feel pleased, colonel; but it seems absurd, so +young as we are. Why, if we go on like this, in another six months +we may be majors."</p> +<p>"In ordinary times it would be absurd, lads; and it would not be +possible for you to hold the grade you do now--still less higher +ones--unless you understood thoroughly your duty. At the present +moment, everything is exceptional. A man who, perhaps, only served +a few months in the army, years ago, is made a general, and sent to +organize a camp of new levies. Of course, he could not command +these troops in the field, could not even drill them on the parade +ground. But that is of no matter. He has a talent for organization, +and therefore is selected to organize the camp and, to enable him +to do so efficiently, he receives the nominal rank of general.</p> +<p>"In ordinary times a man could not get promoted--three or even +four times, in as many weeks--over the heads of hundreds of others, +without causing an immense amount of jealousy; without, in fact, +upsetting the whole traditions of the army.</p> +<p>"Now, it is altogether different. The officers of the regular +army are almost all prisoners. Everyone is new, everyone is +unaccustomed to his work; and men who show themselves to be good +men can be rewarded and promoted with exceptional rapidity, without +exciting any feeling of jealousy, whatever. Besides which, the +whole thing is provisional. When the war is over, everyone will +either go back into private life or, if they continue to serve, +will be gazetted into the regular army, according to some scale or +other to be hereafter determined upon. Some inconveniences no doubt +will arise, but they will hardly be serious.</p> +<p>"I was offered a general's rank, a month ago; but I declined it, +as it would have entailed either my undertaking duties for which I +am unfit; or setting to, to organize young levies, and giving up +active service.</p> +<p>"No, if you go on as you have hitherto done, boys, you may be +colonels in another six months; for when a name is recommended for +promotion for good service, by a general, you may well suppose +there is no question asked as to his age. Of course, no general +would recommend you as captains to command companies in a regiment, +because you are altogether ignorant of a captain's duty; but you +are quite capable of filling the duties of captain, on the staff, +as those duties require only clear headedness, pluck, attention, +and common sense.</p> +<p>"What I should like to win, even more than a company--were I in +your place--would be a commander's cross in the legion of honor. I +had the cross, years ago; but I only had the commander's cross a +fortnight ago, for the Bridge of Vesouze."</p> +<p>"Ah, yes," Ralph said, "that would be worth winning, but that is +hopeless."</p> +<p>Colonel Tempe was silent. Ralph and Percy looked at him.</p> +<p>"You mean," Ralph said, after a pause, "that there is a chance +of our winning it."</p> +<p>"Well, boys," Colonel Tempe said, "I don't know that I am right +in leading you into danger, but I do think that you might win it. I +was mentioning your names, only yesterday, to Gambetta. A dispatch +had just come in from Paris, grumbling at receiving no news from +the country; and Gambetta was lamenting over the impossibility of +arranging for simultaneous movements, owing to the breakdown of the +pigeons, and the failure of the messengers; when I said:</p> +<p>"'There were two young English fellows with us, in the +Vosges--they were on Cambriels' staff last, and are now +prisoners--who if they were here would, I believe, get in if anyone +could. They went down, over and over again, among the Germans; and +I could lay any money that they would succeed.'</p> +<p>"'How did they get taken prisoners?' Gambetta asked, as sharp as +a knife.</p> +<p>"'By no fault of their own,' I answered. 'They went out on +leave, to see me; and slept with a party of franc tireurs--where +they of course had no authority, as to sentries--and the party was +surprised, at night, and completely cut up. They were taken +prisoners, but I do not expect that they will remain so for +long.'</p> +<p>"Gambetta did not say anything, then; but when I left him, an +hour afterwards, he remarked:</p> +<p>"'If you hear of those young fellows you were speaking of having +returned, send them to me, Tempe.'"</p> +<p>Ralph looked at Percy, and checked the offer to go which he saw +was on his brother's lips.</p> +<p>"I think it might be done, colonel," he said, quietly; "but it +is a serious matter, and we will think it over, before we give an +opinion."</p> +<p>Ralph then changed the subject, and they talked over the events +which had happened in the Vosges, the strategy and maneuvers of +General Michel, the arrival of Garibaldi, the doings of the franc +tireurs, etc.</p> +<p>"By the way," the colonel said, "there was a telegram in, this +evening--just as I left the office--that the Germans occupied +Dijon, yesterday."</p> +<p>"You don't say so!" the boys said, jumping from their seats. +"Was there any fighting?"</p> +<p>"Yes, some Mobiles and franc tireurs made a very plucky defense, +outside the town. Owing to some gross mismanagement, the great bulk +of the troops had been withdrawn, only the day before. After two or +three hours' fighting, our men fell back; the Prussians, as usual, +shelled the town; and the authorities surrendered."</p> +<p>"The fighting could not have been our side of the town," Ralph +said, thoughtfully.</p> +<p>"No, just the other side," Colonel Tempe said. "As my wife is +still at home, and our place is not many hundred yards from yours, +that was the first thing I thought of."</p> +<p>"I wonder if papa was in the fight?" Percy said, anxiously.</p> +<p>"I should think it probable, boys, that my old friend would have +gone out; but I do not think that you need be uneasy about it for, +from what the telegram said, our loss was small. The troops fell +back into the town, and retreated unmolested through it. So your +father would, no doubt, have changed his things in the town, and +have walked quietly back again.</p> +<p>"He had volunteered into the national guard, when I came last +through Dijon; and was hard at work, drilling them. Of course, he +had his old rank of captain."</p> +<p>At ten o'clock the boys said that they would go for a stroll, +before lying down for the night. They were out upwards of an hour; +and returned, at the end of that time, with serious but resolved +faces. The colonel was out, when they returned; and found them +stretched on the sofa and hearth rug, when he came in. They gave +him a sleepy good night, and no other word was exchanged.</p> +<p>In the morning, they were up at eight o'clock. Colonel Tempe was +already dressed, and they went out together to get their coffee and +milk. As they were taking it, Ralph told him that they had made up +their minds to make the attempt to enter Paris, with dispatches; +but that they saw but one way to do so; and that, unless they could +be furnished with the necessary papers, they should abandon all +idea of the enterprise.</p> +<p>Ten minutes later, they entered the Prefecture. Colonel Tempe +went in at once to see Gambetta, while the boys remained in the +anteroom. In ten minutes their friend came out again, and beckoned +to them to come into the next room.</p> +<p>"These are the Lieutenants Barclay," he said.</p> +<p>The boys bowed; and examined, with attentive curiosity, the man +who was, at that time, the absolute ruler of France. A dark man; +with a short black beard, keen eyes, and a look of self reliance +and energy. A man who committed endless mistakes, but who was the +life and soul of the French resistance. A man to whom--had he lived +in olden times--the Romans would have erected a statue because, in +her deepest misfortunes, he never despaired of the Republic.</p> +<p>He looked keenly at the young men.</p> +<p>"Colonel Tempe tells me that you have rendered very great +service, by going among the enemy in disguise; and that you are +willing to make an attempt to carry dispatches into Paris."</p> +<p>"We are ready to try," Ralph said, respectfully; "but after +talking it over in every way, we can see but one disguise which +would enable us to penetrate the enemy's lines, near enough to the +ground between the two armies to render an attempt possible; and +even that disguise will be useless, unless we can procure certain +papers."</p> +<p>"What is your plan?" Monsieur Gambetta asked.</p> +<p>"We intend to go as German Jews," Ralph said. "The Prussians +strip all the clocks, pictures, and furniture of any value from the +villas they occupy, and send them back to Germany. There are a +number of Jews who follow the army; and either buy these stolen +goods from them, or undertake to convey them back to Germany at a +certain price. Several of these Jews--with their wagons full of +clocks, and other articles--have been captured by our franc tireurs +or troops and, no doubt, papers of some kind have been found upon +them. These papers would naturally be sent here. If we could be +provided with them we could, I have little doubt, penetrate their +lines."</p> +<p>"An excellent idea," the minister said. "I have no doubt that we +have such papers."</p> +<p>And he struck a small hand bell on the table. An attendant +entered.</p> +<p>"Tell Captain Verre I wish to speak to him."</p> +<p>"Captain Verre," he said, when that officer entered, "there were +some papers came last week, from General Faidherbe, relative to +those wagons--laden with clocks, ladies' dresses, and so on--that +were captured near Mezieres. Just look through them, and see if +there were any German permits for the bearers to pass freely, for +the purpose of trading. If so, let me have them at once."</p> +<p>The officer at once left the room.</p> +<p>"Supposing--as I have no doubt--that we can give you the papers, +what is your course?"</p> +<p>"Speed is, naturally, an essential," Ralph said. "We shall +disguise ourselves at once and, upon receipt of the dispatches, +start from here to Orleans by train; with two good horses--which +can, of course, be furnished us. We shall ride through the forest +of Orleans, and so to Montargis; cross the Loing there, and make +straight for Melun--keeping always through by-lanes. As far as we +know, there are no large bodies of the enemy along that line.</p> +<p>"When we get near the town, we shall leave our horses with some +village Maire, or give them to a farmer, and walk into the place +boldly. You will furnish us with a note to the Maire of Melun, as +well as a circular to all French authorities, to give us any help; +and we shall get him to assist us at once to buy a wagon, and two +strong horses. With these we shall drive round, direct, to +Versailles. Our pass will admit us into the town, without +difficulty; and then we shall naturally be guided by circumstances. +We must be furnished with a considerable sum of money, to make +purchases of plunder."</p> +<p>"An admirable plan," said the minister, warmly, "and one that +deserves--even should it not obtain--success.</p> +<p>"I need not speak to you of reward because, as gentlemen, I know +that you make the attempt from the love of honor Colonel Tempe has +before spoken to me of you, and you were highly commended by +General Cambriels. Your names will, therefore, be in the next +Gazette for the cross of the legion of honor; and if you succeed, +you will come back captains and commanders of the Legion. I may +mention--although I know that it will not add to your motive to +succeed--that you will be entitled to the reward, of fifty thousand +francs, which has been offered to anyone who will carry in +dispatches to Paris."</p> +<p>At this moment the officer entered.</p> +<p>"Here are the papers the Jews with the captured wagons carried," +he said. "They are signed by the general at Frankfort, and +countersigned by at least a dozen military authorities. There are +three of them."</p> +<p>The minister glanced at them.</p> +<p>"They will do well," he said. "Will you be ready to start +tomorrow morning?"</p> +<p>"Quite ready," Ralph said.</p> +<p>"Very well. Then if you will be here at half-past five, the +dispatches will be ready; written, of course, so as to fold up in +the smallest possible compass.</p> +<p>"Captain Verre, will you see that two of the best horses in my +stable are put into boxes, in the train that leaves at six tomorrow +morning."</p> +<p>The boys now rose to leave.</p> +<p>"Good morning," the minister said. "All the letters of +recommendation, the dispatches, and the money will be ready when +you come, in the morning."</p> +<p>The boys, on going out, held a long consultation over their +disguises. Examining the papers, they found that one was for two +persons of the same name--Isaac Kraph and Aaron Kraph--father and +son; the father, as described in the pass, forty-five years old, +the son eighteen. This pass they determined to use.</p> +<p>The task of changing Percy into a Jew boy, of eighteen, was +evidently an easy one. His clear complexion was the only +difficulty, and this could be readily disguised. Ralph's disguise +was a more difficult one; and there was a considerable debate as to +whether he had better go as a red Jew, or a dark Jew. The latter +was finally determined upon as, otherwise, the contrast between the +supposed father and son would be too striking.</p> +<p>They then went to their tailor, and found their uniforms ready. +They at once put them on, as the peculiarity of the purchases they +intended to make was so great that, had they been in their civilian +dress, it was certain that they would have been regarded with +suspicion; and would have, perhaps, had difficulty in obtaining +what they wanted.</p> +<p>Their first visit was to a hairdresser's shop. Rather to the +astonishment of the proprietor, they told him that they wished to +speak to him in a private room; and still more to his astonishment, +when the door was closed, they told him that they wanted their hair +dyed quite black. The hairdresser could hardly believe his ears. +The boys had both brown, wavy hair--Percy's being the lightest--and +that two young officers of the staff should, at such a time, desire +to dye their hair struck the man almost dumb with astonishment.</p> +<p>Ralph smiled.</p> +<p>"No wonder you are surprised, but we have an important mission +to carry out, and it is essential that we should be completely +disguised. We are going as spies into Von der Tann's camp. This, of +course, is in the strictest confidence."</p> +<p>The hairdresser was at once struck with the importance of the +occasion.</p> +<p>"You want an instantaneous dye?" he asked.</p> +<p>"Certainly," Ralph said, "and one that will last, at any rate, +for a week."</p> +<p>There was no difficulty whatever in complying with the request +and, in ten minutes, the boys' heads were raven in their +blackness.</p> +<p>"Now," Ralph said, "I want my brother's hair--which is +fortunately very long--to be completely frizzled; and I want a pair +of the tongs you do it with, so as to be able to do it for +ourselves."</p> +<p>This also was easy enough.</p> +<p>"Now," Ralph went on, "for myself, I want my hair to be very +long; to come down over my ears on to my collar, all the way +round."</p> +<p>"But the only way to do that is to have a wig specially made for +you."</p> +<p>"Not at all," Ralph said. "I could not put on a wig, even if you +had one just as I want it, ready. The parting always shows, if it +is narrowly looked at. I want some long flat bands of hair, like +those you use for chignons. It must be black, to match my hair as +it is now; but put a few streaks of gray into it. I must have a +band of this hair, long enough to go round the head, from just +above one ear to just above the other. If you part my hair, just at +the place where the band is to go; brush the hair up; put the band +of artificial hair on, with shoemaker's wax, or something else to +hold tight; then brush the hair back again over the band, it would +be absolutely impossible to see it was not all natural. Then cut +the long hair so as to lie on my coat collar, frizzle it and the +natural hair, and I will defy the keenest-eyed Prussian to see +anything wrong about it."</p> +<p>As soon as the hairdresser understood exactly what Ralph wanted, +he entered heartily into his plans; and several of the short flat +bands of black hair, used for chignons, were sewn on to a band. +This was fastened on to Ralph's head, in the way he had suggested; +the long tresses were cut to the required length; the tongs were +used on them, and on the natural hair; and plenty of oil put on +and, in an hour, his headdress was perfect--an immense bush of +frizzly hair. The cloth was taken from round his neck and, as he +looked at himself in the glass, he joined heartily in Percy's shout +of laughter.</p> +<p>"But, Ralph, how are you to go out in your uniform, and that +head of hair?"</p> +<p>"Dear me," Ralph said, "I had quite forgotten that. Go to the +tailor's, Percy, and tell them to send the suit I changed there in +here, directly."</p> +<p>Percy went off for the clothes, and Ralph then went on:</p> +<p>"Now I want a black or grayish beard, whiskers, and mustache."</p> +<p>"I have not got such a thing," the hairdresser said, "but I know +a man who keeps them. I will get it for you, in a quarter of an +hour."</p> +<p>In a few minutes Percy returned, with a boy with Ralph's +clothes. In a short time they were ready to start.</p> +<p>"You do look a strange object, Ralph."</p> +<p>"Never mind, Percy, there are plenty of strange objects here. No +one will notice me."</p> +<p>Then saying that they would call in again in half an hour, for +the beard, they went to a chemist's; from whom--after some +talk--they obtained a mixture to give a slightly brown tinge to +their faces.</p> +<p>They now dived into the back streets of the town, found a +second-hand clothes shop, and speedily got the articles they +required. Ralph had a long greatcoat, with a fur collar; and a pair +of high boots, coming up to his knees and to be worn over the +trousers. A black fur cap completed his costume. Percy had a black +cap, made of rough cloth, with a peak and with flaps to come down +over the ears; an old greatcoat, with fur round the pockets and +collar; a bright-colored handkerchief, to go two or three times +round the neck; and high boots like those of Ralph.</p> +<p>They then returned to the hairdresser, and Ralph insisted that +the beard and mustache should be fastened on not only in the +ordinary manner--with springs--but with cobbler's wax.</p> +<p>"My life," he said, "might depend upon the things not slipping, +at any moment."</p> +<p>They now went home. The moment that they entered their rooms, +Ralph exclaimed:</p> +<p>"Why, we have forgotten all about Tim!"</p> +<p>"So we have," Percy said. "He was to have met us in front of the +railway station at nine o'clock and, of course, he has no idea +where to find us. I will go there. Very likely the poor fellow is +waiting still."</p> +<p>Percy hurried off; and found Tim, as he had expected, sitting +upon the steps going up to the railway station. He jumped up, with +a cry of joy, upon seeing Percy.</p> +<p>"The Vargin be praised, Mister Percy! I began to think that you +must have been sent off somewhere, without time to warn me; and I +couldn't, for the life of me, make out what to do."</p> +<p>"We have not gone, Tim," Percy said, not wishing to hurt the +attached fellow's feelings, by telling him that he had been +forgotten; "but we are starting tomorrow. I will tell you all about +it, when we get in. We have been to see Monsieur Gambetta, this +morning and, do you know, we met Colonel Tempe last night, and are +stopping in his rooms."</p> +<p>So saying, he walked along at a quick pace towards their +lodgings; Tim occasionally glancing a puzzled look at him. By the +time they reached the room, Ralph had stained his face and hands, +and was busy dressing in his disguise. His back was to the door, +when they entered; but he had heard the Irishman's voice on the +stair.</p> +<p>"Well, Tim, how are you?" he said, turning round.</p> +<p>"Holy Vargin!" ejaculated Tim, dropping into a chair, and +crossing himself with great fervor "Sure, I'm bewitched. Here's an +ould gentleman, wid a wonderful head of hair, has been staleing +Mister Ralph's voice."</p> +<p>The two boys went off in a shout of laughter at Tim's genuine +terror.</p> +<p>"Sure, I'm bewitched, entirely," he went on. "He laughs for all +the world like Mister Ralph. Did ye iver see the like?</p> +<p>"What is it all, Mister Percy dear?"</p> +<p>Percy had by this time taken off his cap; and Tim, as he looked +him fairly in the face, gave another start.</p> +<p>"By the mother of Moses!" he exclaimed, in terror, "we're all +bewitched. Mister Ralph's turned into an ould man, with a furze +bush of hair; and Mister Percy's beautiful hair has all turned +black, and shriveled itself up. Am I turning, myself, I wonder?" +and he looked into the glass, to see if any change had taken place +in his own abundant crop of red hair.</p> +<p>The boys were laughing so that they could not speak for some +time, and Tim sat gazing at them in speechless bewilderment. At +last Percy, by a great effort, recovered himself; and explained to +him the whole circumstances of the case. The Irishman's +astonishment ceased now, but his dismay was as great as ever.</p> +<p>"Then is it alone you're going?" he said, at last. "Are you +going into danger again, without taking me with you? You'd never do +that, surely, Mister Ralph?"</p> +<p>"I am very sorry, Tim, to be separated from you," Ralph said; +"but it is quite impossible for you to go with us. If you +understood French and German as well as we do, the case would be +different; but as it is, the thing is absolutely impossible. You +know how great a trouble it was to disguise you, before; and it +would treble our anxieties and difficulties. Not only that; but +even if, in the face of every possible danger, we got you into +Paris with us, there would be great difficulty in getting you out. +Gambetta will give orders for us to be allowed to come out, in the +first balloon; but it is by no means easy to get places in +balloons, and it is unlikely in the extreme that we should be able +to bring you out with us. So there you would be, shut up in Paris +and separated from us, for months.</p> +<p>"No, no, Tim, the matter is altogether impossible. You stay +quietly here and, in ten days or a fortnight--if all goes well--we +shall be back again with you."</p> +<p>"And is it in a balloon you're thinking of coming out, Mister +Ralph; flying like a bird through the air? Och, wirra, wirra! I'll +never see yees again."</p> +<p>"Nonsense, Tim, there's no danger in a balloon. If getting in +were no more dangerous than getting out, there would not be much +peril in the matter."</p> +<p>"Ah, Mister Ralph dear, how can you be risking your life, and +the life of your brother in that way? Shooting at a Prussian, or +getting shot at, is all well enough; or going among them with your +hair all puffed out, and your face painted brown, and the hair +growing all over your face before its time, I say nothing against; +but flying through the air, in a balloon, is just tempting the good +Providence. I know what it will be. You'll be just touching against +a cloud, and tumbling out, and breaking yourselves into +smithereens; and nothing to take home to your dear father and +mother, not to mention Miss Milly," and Tim fairly blubbered with +grief, at the thought.</p> +<p>The boys had great difficulty in pacifying the attached fellow; +at last, with a face expressive of mournful resignation, he agreed +to remain with Colonel Tempe until they returned; or until their +prolonged absence rendered it likely that they would not return at +all--Tim evidently making up his mind that the latter contingency +would happen. In that case, as Tim--now his corps had ceased to +exist--need no longer serve, he expressed his determination to +return to Dijon; and to stay with Captain Barclay until the end of +the war--as he should not, he said, have the heart to fight any +more, when his masters were both killed.</p> +<p>While the conversation had been going on, the boys had continued +their toilettes. The preparation which they had obtained gave them +an olive complexion; and their transformation was now so complete +that the boys would have passed each other unknown, even had they +looked steadily at each other. Ralph, especially, was utterly +unlike himself.</p> +<p>They now told Tim to go out and get his breakfast, and to return +in two hours' time; and then started themselves, rounding their +shoulders, and so narrowing their chests as much as possible. Ralph +stopped at an optician's, bought a pair of slightly-colored +spectacles, and put them on.</p> +<p>It was now twelve o'clock--the preparations having taken them +three hours--and they went to the cafe where they were to meet +Colonel Tempe, to breakfast. He was already there, and they walked +up to the table where he was sitting.</p> +<p>"These seats are engaged," Colonel Tempe said, shortly.</p> +<p>The Barclays sat down at the next table; and called, in a +foreign accent, for two glasses of beer. Then they spoke together, +for some little time, about a journey from Saint Malo which they +had just made; and Ralph then turned to Colonel Tempe, still +speaking French with a strong foreign accent.</p> +<p>"Pardon me, colonel," he said, "we have just arrived from +England. We have a very large quantity of army shoes, and I should +feel under a great obligation if you could inform me who is the +proper person to whom to apply."</p> +<p>Colonel Tempe at once informed them, adding:</p> +<p>"If your shoes are good ones, and the price fair, and you can +deliver them soon, you will not have to wait long; for they are +greatly wanted."</p> +<p>"We have also some harness, for artillery horses," Ralph +added.</p> +<p>"I do not know about that," the colonel said; "but you will +obtain all information from the officer I have mentioned."</p> +<p>"Thank you very much," Ralph said, and returned to his seat.</p> +<p>Colonel Tempe looked at his watch, a little impatiently. Ralph, +after a minute or two, again approached him.</p> +<p>"Don't you think we may as well have breakfast, colonel?" he +said, in his natural voice.</p> +<p>The colonel looked at him, in speechless surprise.</p> +<p>"So the disguises are pretty good?" Ralph said, smiling.</p> +<p>"Impossible!" the colonel exclaimed. "Do my eyes or my ears +deceive me? Can it really be--?"</p> +<p>"It's us, sure enough, colonel; and now, I suppose we may as +well sit down."</p> +<p>So saying, the boys took their seats at the table; but Colonel +Tempe still looked from one to the other, in astonishment.</p> +<p>"Wonderful!" he at last said, "wonderful! Even now I know who it +is, I do not see the faintest possible resemblance.</p> +<p>"Percy is, of course, less altered than you are, Ralph, because +he is still young looking; but even now I should not recognize him. +As for you, with that wonderful head of hair, and that beard, you +look fifty; and as unlike yourself as possible. Upon my word, if it +were anywhere else but here in Tours--where there are all sorts of +oddities--I should be ashamed, as a colonel in the army, to sit +down to table with you."</p> +<p>"You are a little ashamed, as it is," Ralph laughed. "We had not +intended to come out in our new character, so soon; but when my +hair was once done, you see, it was impossible to go about in +uniform."</p> +<p>"But what in the world have you done with your hair?" the +colonel said, examining him closely; for Ralph had taken off his +fur cap and laid it beside him. "You have not got a wig on; and +yet, all that frizzly bunch cannot be your own."</p> +<p>Ralph explained how it was managed, and added:</p> +<p>"And now, colonel, that you have recovered from your surprise, +let us have breakfast."</p> +<p>Breakfast was ordered, to which the boys did full justice; but +Colonel Tempe was still getting on but slowly, for he could not +take his eyes off Ralph's face.</p> +<p>"Will all that frizzle keep in?" he asked, presently.</p> +<p>"Yes; the man said that the false hair--which is the greater +portion of it--will keep as well for a week; and we have got a +small curling iron, so we can beautify ourselves up when we +like."</p> +<p>"Well, boys, I have no doubt, now, that you will be able to get +as far as Versailles; as to getting through, that's another +matter--but if anyone can, you will, I am convinced."</p> +<p>"I have not much doubt about it, colonel," Ralph said. "I seem +to see my way quite clearly into Paris. Much more clearly, indeed, +than I do to getting out again."</p> +<p>"Oh, it does not matter about getting out again, boys. You can +stop quietly in there, until the end of the siege."</p> +<p>"That is just what we don't want to do," Percy said. "Would you +kindly ask them to put into the dispatches a request that we may be +sent out again, by the first balloon that comes? We have no fancy, +either of us, for eating rats and cats; which I suppose is what it +will come to, before it is over."</p> +<p>"I will see to it, boys," the colonel said, smiling; "but +really, I should advise your staying there. You have done all--and +more than--your share of work."</p> +<p>The boys shook their heads; and it was arranged that, if they +got in, they should come out again in a balloon.</p> +<p>The next morning, the boys were up at half-past four and, at +half-past five, were at the Prefecture. Colonel Tempe sent in his +name to the minister, and they were at once admitted. Gambetta was +at his writing table.</p> +<p>"Good morning, Colonel Tempe," he said, cordially; and then +added, in some surprise, "who are these men you have with you, and +where are your young Englishmen? I hope they will not be late."</p> +<p>"These are they," the colonel said, smiling.</p> +<p>"They are who?" Gambetta said, puzzled. "I do not understand +you, colonel."</p> +<p>"These are the Lieutenants Barclay," Colonel Tempe said.</p> +<p>The minister looked from the colonel to the two boys, and back +again.</p> +<p>"Do you mean to say--?" he began, incredulously.</p> +<p>"Yes, sir, it is us," Ralph said; "and I do not think there is +much fear of our being recognized."</p> +<p>"So little that I do not recognize you, now.</p> +<p>"There is no mistake, colonel?" he said, gravely; "no +mystification? You give me your pledge, and assurance, that these +are the officers who have volunteered for this duty? Remember, any +mistake might be fatal."</p> +<p>"These are certainly the Barclays, sir. I give you my word."</p> +<p>"It is a marvelous disguise," Gambetta said, his doubts now laid +at rest; "and does them immense credit.</p> +<p>"There are the dispatches, gentlemen. They are done up in these +two quills, and sealed. They are of the utmost importance; and must +not, at any hazard, fall into the hands of the enemy. The +dispatches are in duplicate so that, in case one only gets in, the +purpose is served.</p> +<p>"This is a circular letter, to all maires and other French +authorities, ordering them to give you every possible +assistance.</p> +<p>"This is a special note, to the Maire of Melun.</p> +<p>"Here is a letter to General Aurelles, at Orleans. If he is not +in when you arrive, the chief of his staff will do. He is ordered +to send a staff officer with you, through the lines, as far as you +require him. The horses are in the train.</p> +<p>"Now, goodbye. I wish you a very good future, for you are +gallant young fellows."</p> +<p>So saying, he shook them warmly by the hand; and they hurried +off to the train.</p> +<h2><a name="Ch15" id="Ch15">Chapter 15</a>: The Expedition.</h2> +<p>A special telegram had been sent forward from Tours to station +master at Orleans, to request him to order the two horses, sent +forward in the train, to be got out of their boxes without any loss +of time; and to do anything else which the owners of the horses +required. Accordingly, as the train was waiting outside the +station, the guard came round and asked at each carriage for the +owners of the horses. He appeared a little surprised, when two Jews +answered the inquiry; as he had expected that they were officers of +high rank, and importance.</p> +<p>"The compliments of the stationmaster," he said, "and is there +anything he can do with the horses?"</p> +<p>"Yes," Ralph said. "Give my compliments to the station master; +and say that I shall be much obliged if he will get them out of the +horse boxes, without loss of time, and send them on at once to the +headquarters of General Aurelles. We will go on at once, in a +vehicle."</p> +<p>Five minutes afterwards the train drew up at the platform, and +the guard ran up.</p> +<p>"This way, gentlemen. A carriage is engaged."</p> +<p>Upon arriving at headquarters they found that--owing to the +forethought of Colonel Tempe--they were expected for, upon sending +in their names, they were at once admitted; although several +officers, of all grades, were waiting in the anteroom.</p> +<p>The colonel of the staff gave a movement of surprise.</p> +<p>"There is some mistake here," he said, to the orderly who had +shown them in; "I ordered the Lieutenants Barclay to be +admitted."</p> +<p>"These are the gentlemen who gave me the card, colonel," the +orderly answered.</p> +<p>"It is so," Ralph said. "If you will favor us with a moment +alone, we will explain the matter to you."</p> +<p>The colonel led the way into a small cabinet, adjoining.</p> +<p>"We are bearers of dispatches, for General Trochu," Ralph said; +"and have disguised ourselves, to endeavor to pass through the +German lines."</p> +<p>"Oh, is that it?" the colonel said. "I must really apologize; +but no one," he said, smiling, "could recognize you, in that +disguise, to be French officers. Before we speak further, I must +ask you for some proof that you are what you state yourselves to +be; for at present I have only your cards."</p> +<p>"Here is our letter from Monsieur Gambetta to General Aurelles," +Ralph said. "It is directed to be opened by you, should he be +absent."</p> +<p>"That is all right," the colonel said, when he had read it. "My +surprise at your appearance was natural, for the telegram we +received this morning only said:</p> +<p>"'The two Lieutenants Barclay will arrive, by six o'clock train. +Their business is most important. Have a well-mounted officer of +staff ready to accompany them through lines.'</p> +<p>"I thought, of course, that you had orders to report on position +of troops; and felt, I admit, rather angry that Gambetta should +wish to send subaltern officers to inspect matters concerning which +he has full reports.</p> +<p>"You wish, of course, to go on at once?"</p> +<p>"Our horses will be here in five minutes," Ralph said, "and we +wish to get as far as possible, tonight. We mean to cross the Loing +at Montargis, and get as far as we can, tonight; so as to arrive +either at Meaux, or Melun, tomorrow evening. We should, of course, +prefer Melun, as being much the shortest route towards Versailles. +We shall, of necessity, be guided by the position of the +Germans."</p> +<p>"You have not breakfasted, of course?" the colonel said. "I was +just going to sit down, when you came in; for I go out to the front +at ten, and it is half-past nine, now. You will have no chance of +getting anything, before you arrive at Montargis.</p> +<p>"I can introduce you to the officer who will accompany you."</p> +<p>The boys readily accepted the invitation, and at once followed +the colonel into another room; where breakfast was laid, and +several officers of the staff were waiting for the arrival of the +colonel, to begin. There was a general look of surprise, when he +entered with two strange-looking Jews; which was not a little +increased when he said:</p> +<p>"Gentlemen, the Lieutenants Barclay. You look surprised; but +your astonishment will cease when I tell you that they are upon an +important mission, and do not look like themselves. And now to +table, for they have to start in ten minutes.</p> +<p>"Captain Duprat, let me make you specially acquainted with these +gentlemen. They are bound for Montargis, and you will see them +through our outposts."</p> +<p>In another quarter of an hour, the boys were issuing from the +streets of Orleans; and were soon going along, at a hand gallop, by +the road along the banks of the Loire; while to the north stretched +the flat and densely-wooded country known as the Forest of Orleans. +As far as Chateauneuf they kept near the river. Here they halted +half an hour, to give breathing time to their horses; then started +again, and rode fast to Bellegarde. Here was the last post of +regular troops, but Cathlineau's franc tireurs were scattered +throughout the country, as far as Montargis; and it would have been +more difficult for the Barclays to have passed through them than +through the regular troops, as they had less respect for +passes.</p> +<p>After another halt, they again started; and Captain Duprat +accompanied them as far as Montargis, where there was a small body +of franc tireurs. Captain Duprat's orders were to sleep at +Montargis, and then return to Chateauneuf the next day.</p> +<p>The boys felt rather stiff and tired, as they rode into +Montargis; for they had not been on horseback since the day when +they were taken prisoners, in the Vosges, and they had ridden forty +miles since breakfast. They would, however, have willingly pushed +on another twenty miles; but their horses had even a longer day's +work before them, on the morrow.</p> +<p>Being accompanied by a staff officer, no questions whatever were +asked them and, after a good dinner at the hotel, they went to the +Maire, to inquire whether he could tell them as to the advanced +posts of the Germans. This functionary--like such functionaries in +general--could give them but slight information but, as far as he +knew, there were no German troops on the right bank of the Loing, +south of its junction with the Yonne. Beyond the Yonne they were +scattered pretty thickly, everywhere.</p> +<p>At daybreak the next morning, they started. Captain Duprat +turned his horse's head westward again, while the Barclays rode +north. Their pace was rapid; as they never drew rein, except at +villages, to ask whether the Prussians had been heard of. They +heard of parties at Lorrez, and Cheroy; but as they kept through +by-lanes, and as the country was thickly wooded, the risk was--at +present--small. They had with them an excellent map, which enabled +them to follow the smallest footpaths.</p> +<p>At eleven o'clock, they stopped at the little hamlet of +Montarlet. There they breakfasted, and gave the horses an hour's +rest while they consulted with the Maire. He was a miller, and +turned out a shrewd fellow; entering into the matter with great +warmth. He advised them to ford the Yonne between Montereau and its +junction with the Loing; to keep to the woods for ten miles, and +then to turn to the left, and to cross the Seine--at one of the +numerous fords there--into the Forest of Fontainebleau; and they +would then find themselves between that town and Melun, and could +ride boldly into Melun, as if they had come from Fontainebleau.</p> +<p>"I know every foot of the country," he said, "and will guide +you, till you are safely across the Seine. If we should, by any +chance, fall upon a patrol of the enemy, it will be simple enough +to say that I am a miller of Montarlet; and that you have shown me +your permission to travel about, through the German line; and have +asked me to guide you, by the shortest way, to Melun."</p> +<p>They had every reason to be thankful to their guide, for they +found that there were a great many scattered parties of Uhlans +about. By dint of making detours through woods, however, they +succeeded in striking the Seine, at Fontaine le Port, without once +meeting them.</p> +<p>This village was, however, occupied by some half-dozen cavalry; +and it was impossible to pass the river, unseen by them. The +Barclays thanked, very warmly, their friend the Maire, and promised +to mention his conduct, upon their return to Tours; and then, +saying goodbye to him, rode into the village alone. The sergeant of +Uhlans came to the door of the principal cabaret, and looked +out.</p> +<p>"Good day," Ralph said, in German, reining up his horse. "Is it +here that I cross the river, for Fontainebleau? They told me, at Le +Chatelet, that it was shorter than going round by the main +road."</p> +<p>"Yes, you are right here," the sergeant said. "Have you +passes?"</p> +<p>"Oh yes," Ralph said, laughing. "It would have been no easy +matter to get from Frankfort here, without them."</p> +<p>So saying, he pulled out the Prussian permit.</p> +<p>"That is right," the sergeant said. "Your horses look very +done."</p> +<p>"We have ridden from Coulommiers through Rozoy, and +Normant."</p> +<p>"It would have been an easier road to have gone from Normant +through Melun," the sergeant said. And he took out a map, and +examined it. "No, I see le Chatelet is a more direct line."</p> +<p>"We have time to wait an hour," Ralph said, turning to Percy; +"and it will be better for our beasts. See that they are rubbed +down, and fed."</p> +<p>The sergeant gave a peremptory shout, and the master of the wine +shop ran out. The sergeant pointed to the horses.</p> +<p>"Do you speak French?" he asked Ralph.</p> +<p>"No," Ralph said, "but my son does.</p> +<p>"Aaron, tell him to rub them down, and feed them well; and see +to it, yourself. These dogs are capable of cheating even a +horse."</p> +<p>Ralph then entered the cabaret, and called for some bread and +cheese and a bottle of the best wine, with three glasses. The +Prussian sergeant sat down with them, and talked of Germany for an +hour. Then they started again, crossed the river and, an hour and a +half later, entered Melun. Here, as they came in by the road from +Fontainebleau--which was held in force by the Germans--no question +was asked.</p> +<p>They rode their tired horses through the streets, until they saw +a quiet hotel. Riding into the yard, they told the hostler to put +up their horses, and to clean and feed them well; enforcing their +request with a five-franc piece. They then entered the hotel, and +found that they could have beds; as the number of German officers +quartered upon this house was smaller than usual, owing to the +greater portion of the troops having been pushed on, to reinforce +Von der Tann.</p> +<p>It was now half-past five, and was already dusk. They therefore +went at once to the Maire; to whom they presented Gambetta's +letter, and requested his assistance in purchasing a van, with a +pair of good strong horses, at once.</p> +<p>"It will be next to impossible to get horses," the Maire said, +"but I will do my best. I have two carriage horses, of good breed; +but I fear, if I were to let you have them, the Prussians might +remark it."</p> +<p>"We have two first-rate animals," Ralph said, "from Gambetta's +own stables. They have carried us a hundred miles, since breakfast +time yesterday. They are likely to be at least as good as yours +are, only they want a few days' rest. Will you exchange?"</p> +<p>"Certainly," the Maire said, at once. "If any inquiries were to +be made about it, I need make no secret of that transaction.</p> +<p>"As for the covered cart, I will send round at once to those of +my neighbors who have one; and as you are ready to pay for it, and +as the Prussians are requisitioning them without payment, you can +rely upon having one tomorrow morning, ready for your start. I will +send a note round to you, tonight, to tell you where it is, at +present."</p> +<p>"We had better go now to the German commandant's office, and get +our passes countersigned. When that is done, we shall be all right +for Versailles."</p> +<p>"Yes, I should advise you to do that," the Maire said. "You will +not have much difficulty. They are civil enough about passes, and +matters of that kind. Will you mention you have seen me?"</p> +<p>"Not unless any question is asked about horses; in which case we +should of course mention that--hearing you had a pair of horses, +and ours requiring rest--we had changed with you."</p> +<p>They now went boldly to the orderly room. An officer was on +duty.</p> +<p>"Will you please to visa this for Versailles?" Ralph said, in +German.</p> +<p>The officer took it, glanced at it, and at them.</p> +<p>"The last visa I see was at Meaux, a fortnight since."</p> +<p>"We have been traveling on horseback, since," Ralph said; "and +have had no occasion to have it visaed, as it has always passed us +without trouble. As we are now going to Versailles, with a wagon, +we thought it better to have the pass visaed here."</p> +<p>"Where have you come from, now?"</p> +<p>"From Fontainebleau," Ralph said. "We have been down to +Pithiviers, and I sent off four wagon loads of things from there, +for the frontier."</p> +<p>"Your best way is through Corbeil, and Longjumeau," the officer +said, handing back the paper.</p> +<p>"Thank you, sir," Ralph replied, "that is the way we are +intending to go."</p> +<p>In the evening, the Maire himself came in to look at the horses; +and told them that he had obtained a good light-covered wagon, with +springs, which had been used for the removal of furniture. The +price was a thousand francs.</p> +<p>"If you like," he said, "to come round with me now; my servant +shall take the horses round there, put them in, and bring the wagon +here; and he can then take your horses back with him to my +stables.</p> +<p>"Please to write me a paper--signed by the name on your German +pass--saying that you have bought my horses of me, and have sold me +yours. Put down any figures you like as having passed between us. +You are upon a very perilous expedition and, in case of anything +happening to you, it would be well for me that nothing, beyond a +mere business transaction, could be traced between us."</p> +<p>At seven o'clock the next morning they started. The distance was +only thirty miles, but the roads were terribly slippery from the +deep snow, now trampled flat by the immense traffic of the army. It +was five in the afternoon when they reached the first sentries, at +the entrance to Versailles. The pass was sufficient, and they went +on uninterrupted. Percy drove, and Ralph sat beside him.</p> +<p>The town swarmed with officers and soldiers, of all ranks. No +one paid them any attention, and they drove through the Place +d'Armes and on to the marketplace; where they knew there were many +inns, frequented by the market people. Here--as they expected--they +found it impossible to get a bed; but they had no difficulty in +obtaining permission for the wagon to stand in a yard, and were +lucky enough to get stable room for the horses. They went into the +town and bought four blankets; and as, at starting, they had filled +the wagon two feet deep with straw, they had--in spite of the cold +weather--every hope of passing a comfortable night.</p> +<p>Dinner was the next thing and, that over, they strolled about +until nine o'clock. It was a singular sight, this army of invaders +comfortably quartered in the ancient capital of France. The palace, +the statues in front of it, everything told of the glories of +France; every park around, every little palace was infinitely +associated with its sovereigns; and here, in the midst of these +memorials, the German invaders stalked carelessly, drank in the +cafes, or feasted in the hotels, as if the place had belonged to +them from time immemorial. Afar off, in the quiet of the evening, +could be heard the distant boom of the guns round the beleaguered +city.</p> +<p>There were several things which the Barclays wanted to get; but +they had no difficulty with them, as the shops were all open, as +usual. The population had a depressed look. All classes were +suffering much, with the exception of the shopkeepers, whose +business was as brisk as ever--save only those tradesmen who dealt +in articles of female attire, for which there was no demand, +whatever. The ladies of Versailles went as little as possible into +the streets; and when they did so, all dressed themselves in black, +or other somber colors.</p> +<p>By nine o'clock the shops were all closed; and the Barclays +returned to their wagon, with their purchases in their hands.</p> +<p>"It's awfully cold, Ralph!" Percy said, as they rolled +themselves in their blankets, and covered themselves over with +straw.</p> +<p>"It is, Percy; but it will be a deal colder, in the river."</p> +<p>Percy gave a shudder at the thought.</p> +<p>"Don't you think, Ralph, that there is any possibility of +entering on either of the other sides?"</p> +<p>"Not the slightest, Percy. It must be across the river, or not +at all. The sentries will not be anything like so thick, upon that +side."</p> +<p>Had anyone looked into the wagon, at eight o'clock next morning, +he would have been surprised at the occupation upon which the boys +were engaged. Each was sewing a piece of thin waterproof cloth upon +a pair of white woolen gloves; so that the fingers, when outspread, +had the appearance of the webbed foot of a frog.</p> +<p>"That ought to help us," Ralph said, when they finished. "For a +really long swim, I daresay they would be very fatiguing; but it is +cold, not fatigue, we have to fear, and speed is therefore +everything."</p> +<p>At nine o'clock, Ralph went to the office of the general in +command. There were a number of other persons waiting for permits, +and Ralph waited his turn to go in to the officer engaged in +signing them.</p> +<p>"I am from Frankfort, as my papers show," he said, handing the +officer his pass. "I wish for a pass to go, with my horse and cart, +to Bellevue. There are, I hear, many officers desirous of selling, +or sending home, articles they have saved."</p> +<p>Saved, it may be mentioned, was the word employed in the German +army for stolen--which has an ugly sound.</p> +<p>The officer signed the paper.</p> +<p>"You must not go by the Sevres route," he said. "You must turn +off at Viroflay, and go by Chaville."</p> +<p>Half an hour later they started in the wagon At the gates of +Versailles-- a mile from the town--they were stopped by sentries; +but allowed to pass on production of the order, with the necessary +stamp.</p> +<p>"Everything is going on well, thus far," Ralph said, as they +turned off from the main road, at Viroflay. "It looks like snow, +too, which would exactly suit us."</p> +<p>Viroflay was crowded with Prussian troops. An officer stopped +them, as they passed.</p> +<p>"Where are you going to?"</p> +<p>"We are going to Bellevue," Ralph said. "We are purchasers of +any curiosities or souvenirs of the war--such as pictures, or +clocks--and we also undertake to deliver, in Germany, any article +which may be entrusted to our charge. We have our passes and +papers, in regular order."</p> +<p>"Wait a minute," the officer said. "Draw up at that villa +there."</p> +<p>The wagon drew up to the villa, the officer walking in front. He +motioned to Ralph to dismount, and to follow him into the house; +leaving Percy in charge of the wagon Five or six officers were +sitting in what had been the drawing room of the villa.</p> +<p>"Who have you got here?" one of them asked, as Ralph's conductor +entered.</p> +<p>"A worthy Hebrew," the other laughed, "who will either purchase, +or carry home, articles saved."</p> +<p>There was a general movement of interest. The furniture of the +room was a wreck, the papers were hanging in strips, a broken chair +was blazing upon the fire; several family portraits on the wall +were pierced with holes, having evidently served the purpose of +targets, for pistol shooting.</p> +<p>Ralph's conductor left the room for a moment, and returned with +a very handsome drawing room clock; worth, Ralph knew, at least +fifteen hundred francs.</p> +<p>"How much will you give for that?"</p> +<p>Ralph examined it critically.</p> +<p>"Four hundred francs," he said.</p> +<p>"Nonsense! It cost five times that."</p> +<p>"About four times," Ralph said, "when it was new. It is not new, +now, and it has to be taken to Germany. If you prefer it, I will +carry it to Frankfort; and send it on thence by rail, at ten +percent upon its value."</p> +<p>"Yes, I will agree to that," the officer said. "How much will +that be?"</p> +<p>"I am content to take it at your own valuation," Ralph said. +"The value you set upon the clock was two thousand francs."</p> +<p>There was a laugh among the other officers.</p> +<p>"He has you there, major."</p> +<p>"Not at all," the officer said. "He shall take it at the +valuation he placed upon it--four hundred francs."</p> +<p>"Pardon me," Ralph said, "I did not value it at that sum, I only +offered to give that sum for it; besides which, that was an +estimate of the value I set upon it at Viroflay, not the value I +should set upon it at Frankfort.</p> +<p>"I will say one thousand francs; that is, I will undertake it at +a hundred, if you will get it put into a case of some sort."</p> +<p>The other officers now offered various objects, either for sale +or transport--pictures, vases, clocks, and even pianos. Ralph +haggled over the price of each article, in a way which would have +done honor to his appearance. At last--having arranged all their +matters--he said that he was going on to Bellevue; but would call +and complete the purchases, and receive the goods entrusted to him, +either that night or the next morning.</p> +<p>"If any of you gentleman would kindly give me your card, to give +to the officer of the regiment at Bellevue, saying that you have +found me fair in my dealing, I should feel very grateful," Ralph +said, humbly.</p> +<p>The officer laughed, but one of them took out his card, and +wrote upon it:</p> +<p>"Dear Von Koch, this man is--for a Hebrew--tolerably fair in his +ideas."</p> +<p>"That is for the major of the regiment, at Bellevue," he said; +and Ralph bowed, as if he had received a recommendation of the +warmest kind.</p> +<p>"I was beginning to be alarmed, Ralph," Percy said, when his +brother again took his place in the wagon.</p> +<p>"I have been haggling over prices," Ralph said. "Fortunately, we +are not pressed for time."</p> +<p>They had another stop, of some duration, at Chaville; and it was +nearly three o'clock in the afternoon before they came down to the +back of Bellevue. Here they were stopped and, upon Ralph producing +his pass, an officer came up.</p> +<p>"You cannot go any farther," he said. "You are close to +Bellevue, now; but if you were to take this wagon into the main +road, you would draw Valerien's fire upon us, at once.</p> +<p>"You will find most of the officers there," pointing to a large +house, near.</p> +<p>"I have this card, for Major Von Koch," Ralph said. "I am here +to buy, or carry home on commission, goods of all kinds."</p> +<p>The officer went with Ralph; and the scene at Viroflay was +repeated, but upon a much larger scale. Viroflay is a small +village, containing only a few large villas; Bellevue is composed +almost entirely of handsome residences, owned by Parisians. The +quantity of articles "saved" was proportionately large.</p> +<p>After examining and bargaining for a large number of valuable +articles of furniture, pictures and clocks; Ralph left, with some +of the officers, to view other articles in the villas upon the side +of Bellevue, looking down upon the river. Percy had taken the +horses out of the wagon, and accompanied his brother, ostensibly to +carry back any articles purchased.</p> +<p>At one of the villas Ralph expressed a great desire to go out +into the garden, to look over Paris; and the officer with +him--being in an excellent humor, at the disposal of some articles +at much higher prices than he had expected to receive; and at +having the proceeds, in German bank notes, in his pockets--went out +himself, and pointed out all the various objects of interest.</p> +<p>The fog of a winter's evening was already shutting in the view, +but the boys could see the principal buildings of Paris. The towers +of Notre Dame, the domes of the Pantheon and Invalides, the heights +of Montmartre and Vilette, and the forts of Issy and Vanves were +distinctly visible. The boys' eyes turned, however, more to the +river at their feet, and the intervening ground, than upon the +objects--however interesting--of distant Paris.</p> +<p>"Do not show yourself," the officer said. "If we were caught +sight of, from Issy or Point du Jour--or from that gunboat, +below--we should have a rain of shells about us, in no time. You +can look out from among the trees; but do not get beyond their +shelter, or you will be seen, instantly."</p> +<p>The house in whose garden they were standing stood upon the brow +of the hill. Behind was a little wood, and gardens sloping +pretty-steeply down. Then along by the water was a street, with +houses upon either side. The river was, here, divided by an island; +the lower end of which, however, scarcely extended low enough to be +opposite to the spot upon which the boys were standing.</p> +<p>"Bless me," Ralph said, "it must be very dangerous, living down +there. Why, that gunboat could blow the place into the air."</p> +<p>"That she could," the officer said, "and consequently, none of +our men live there. We have sentries along the river bank, and a +few others scattered about; but none of the troops are quartered +there, nor even in this line of villas where we now are. If we were +to show a light at night, in any window here, we should have a +shell in in a couple of minutes. We have no fear, whatever, of a +sortie in this direction; and have plenty of force behind."</p> +<p>Ralph and Percy lingered, upon one excuse or another; asking +questions as long as they could, and making the best use of their +time, to gain a fair idea of the ground that they would have to +cross. They had with them, in the wagon, a map of Bellevue and +Meudon upon a large scale, with every house marked upon it.</p> +<p>"It is going to be a dark night," the officer said, as they +hurried away, "and we shall have snow before midnight."</p> +<p>Another hour or two was spent in purchasing various articles, +taken from the French villas. Darkness had come on, and Ralph told +the officers that he should not return until the next morning to +Versailles; and that if the articles to be entrusted to his care +for delivery were put in rough cases--of which there were plenty, +which had come full of stores--and brought by ten o'clock in the +morning, carefully directed, it would be in sufficient time.</p> +<p>"Will you give us leave to sleep in one of the villas, upon the +farther side of the road?" Ralph asked the officer in command. "My +boy has never seen a shot fired, in earnest; and I should like him +to be able to say he had watched the fire of the forts, round +Paris."</p> +<p>"If you sleep there," the colonel said, "you must not light a +fire, or show a light, or you would bring the fire of a hundred +guns upon us."</p> +<p>"I will be very careful, sir," Ralph answered. "Will you kindly +let an orderly go with us, to pass us through the sentries? For, as +it's dark now, they would not let us pass."</p> +<p>The colonel gave the order, and an orderly went with them. They +stopped at the wagon, and each took out a large bundle.</p> +<p>"We shall want our blankets, tonight," Ralph said. "It is +bitterly cold.</p> +<p>"Would you like a glass of brandy, to help keep it out, my +man?"</p> +<p>The soldier smiled an assent, drank off a glass of brandy, and +then accompanied them to the villa. Short as was the distance, they +were challenged twice, and the sign and counter-sign had to be +exchanged. They reached the deserted villa, threw down the bundles +in a corner; and then the orderly said good night, and left them to +themselves.</p> +<h2><a name="Ch16" id="Ch16">Chapter 16</a>: A Desperate Attempt.</h2> +<p>"So far, so good, Percy!" Ralph said, when they heard the street +door slam, as the orderly left. "Hitherto we have had the most +extraordinary good fortune and, as it's going to snow--for I felt a +few flakes, as we came along--I look upon it as good as done."</p> +<p>"It will take away from us risk of being hit, but I don't see +that it will make much difference in our risk of being drowned," +Percy said. "I own, Ralph, I am a great deal more afraid of that, +than of the other."</p> +<p>"But it does, Percy. It makes all the difference in the world. +We had agreed that we would put on life belts; but that we would +blow the smallest quantity of air possible into them, so that they +might give us some slight assistance, and yet not be too buoyant to +prevent us from diving. Now we can blow them up with wind, so as to +prevent the possibility of our being drowned. Once in the water, +and we are safe from everything except a stray bullet. In a +snowstorm, on such a dark night as this, they could not see our +heads five yards off."</p> +<p>"But what is worse, Ralph, we shall not be able to see five +yards, either; and should have no idea where we were swimming."</p> +<p>"I had not thought of that, Percy. Yes, that would be very +serious," and Ralph thought, for some time. "It seems a risk, this, +Percy; but I can see no plan, except to draw their fire."</p> +<p>"How do you mean?" Percy asked, puzzled.</p> +<p>"You see, Percy, our idea before was to get down to the shore, +to put our dummy into the water, and to let it float down a hundred +yards--the length of its string--and then to start ourselves, +holding the other end of the string, in hopes that--if the sentries +are really sharply on the lookout--they would see the dummy, +instead of us, as it will be a much more conspicuous object; +especially as we intended to do as much diving as we could, and our +movements forward would jerk the dummy's string, and make him bob, +like a man swimming. If they once caught sight of it, they would be +too busy firing at it to look about for anyone else.</p> +<p>"Well now, I think that instead of giving up the dummy +altogether--as we might have done, now that the snow has come +on--we must let it float gently down, for seventy or eighty yards; +and then throw a stone into the water by it, so as to draw the +attention of the sentry. Or--if the sentries are pretty far +apart--one of us might make a great splash in the water, when the +dummy is floating; and then run back before the sentry gets up, and +get into the water quietly, higher up. Their fire will act as a +guide to us."</p> +<p>"We had better start soon, Ralph. It may take us an hour, or +even two, to get down to the water; for we must go along like +ghosts, so as not to alarm the sentries; and we shall have walls to +get over, and all sorts of difficulties."</p> +<p>"All right, Percy. I do not see the use of waiting. We shall not +get any warmer, by stopping here. It's like having a tooth out. +One's got to do it, and the sooner it's done, the better.</p> +<p>"Now for our bundles."</p> +<p>They went downstairs into a cellar--where the light could not be +seen from outside--struck a light, and lit a candle. The first +thing taken out of the bundle was the dummy--a net, rather larger +than a man's head, tightly filled with corks; with a cord, a +hundred yards in length, attached. Next were two complete suits, +made of white calico; with caps, with long flaps of the same +material. Next were two large rolls of India rubber webbing, about +six inches wide, which they had brought from Tours with them.</p> +<p>"I can't think that that will be any good, Ralph."</p> +<p>"It will, indeed, Percy. The water will, of course, soak +through; but what gets in will remain in, and the heat of the body +will warm it, a good deal. I can assure you, it will be a great +deal warmer than having the icy water flowing past you."</p> +<p>Both boys now took off their coats and waistcoats, put on a warm +flannel jersey over their flannel shirts, and then wound the +bandages of India rubber round each other's bodies. They began +under the arms; drawing the webbing tight, as they wound it round, +so that its natural elasticity caused each turn to press tightly +upon the turn above, which it overlapped. This bandage was +continued down to the lower part of the body. Then they put on the +life belts. Over them they put their suits of white calico, white +shoes with India rubber soles, the white caps, and swimming +gloves.</p> +<p>They then put the "dummy" in a pillow case, which they had +bought for it at Versailles. Before putting on their caps, they +fastened the quills with the dispatches in their hair. In a belt, +underneath their jackets, each carried a heavy revolver.</p> +<p>"This India rubber stuff regularly squeezes me, Ralph."</p> +<p>"All the better, Percy. You will feel the benefit of it, when +you are in the water, believe me."</p> +<p>The boys now knelt down together, and asked for protection +through the peril which they were about to encounter. A few minutes +later they rose, grasped each other's hand; and then--blowing out +the light--groped their way upstairs, opened a window which led +into the garden, and stepped out.</p> +<p>The wind was blowing strongly. Snowflakes were being whisked +hither and thither, like spray from a wave. Had it not been for the +gleam from the snow-covered ground, it would have been impossible +to see ten paces, here. As it was, it was intensely dark.</p> +<p>"It's lucky that it's downhill, Percy, or we should never find +our way to the water's edge. If we keep descending, we must be +there, at last."</p> +<p>Before starting, the boys went a few paces from each other; and +were pleased to find that their white costumes suited admirably as, +between the driving snow and the white sheet upon the ground, they +could not make each other out at more than eight or ten yards, even +when they knew exactly where they stood. They now began to descend +the hill, very carefully, step by step. The snow upon the ground +made walking much more easy than it otherwise would have been. +Their footsteps--muffled alike by the India-rubber soles, and the +snow upon which they walked--were inaudible, even to themselves. +They had several walls to climb, and the noiseless India-rubber +soles were of good service, here. Several times they could hear the +sentries, beating their feet upon the ground to warm them; but in +no case were they near enough to see them.</p> +<p>At last, after an hour and a half--spent in passing the three +hundred yards which separated them from the river--they reached, in +safety, the wall of the road which runs along by the river. Here +the sentries were pacing along at distances of thirty or forty +yards apart. The white houses, upon the opposite side of the road, +could be faintly seen; and the boys moved along until opposite an +opening between them, by which they could get through to the river. +Looking over the wall, they could watch the sentries and--choosing +their time when one had just passed, so that his back would be +turned towards them--he no sooner disappeared in the darkness than +they dropped noiselessly into the road, ran across the street, +climbed a low railing, and stood in a garden which reached down to +the river.</p> +<p>They stood watching, for some time, to assure themselves that no +sentry was placed in the garden; but at last they stole forwards +and stood at the end of the garden, with the river at their feet. +The snow--which was at their backs--was falling faster than ever. +The river deepened rapidly from the wall; but the water was low +enough for anyone to get along on the sloping side--faced with +rough stone--between the foot of the wall and the water.</p> +<p>The boys got over the wall, took the dummy from the bag and, +holding one end of the cord, put it quietly into the water; and +allowed it to float down, about sixty yards.</p> +<p>"Now, Percy," Ralph said, "you get ready to slip into the water, +as quietly as possible, the moment you hear a splash. I will leave +this bag here, so as to know exactly where you have gone in and--as +the rope is plenty long enough--you keep hold of it here, at sixty +yards from the dummy; and I will fasten the slack end to the stone +so that, when I go in, I have only to hold the rope in my hand, to +be able to join you. I will take this heavy coping stone in my +hand; will crawl along on this shelving bank, till I arrive at the +dummy; and will then throw the stone in, and run back at full +speed, and be in the water a few seconds after you are."</p> +<p>"All right, Ralph, I understand. Keep your pistol cocked in your +hand, as you go."</p> +<p>Ralph crept quietly along, under the wall, until he saw the +dummy floating at the edge of the water, a few feet below him. He +rose on his feet, to throw in the stone; when he heard a deep +exclamation behind him and, looking round, he saw a dark figure +within two feet of him. Another moment, and the sentry would have +brought his rifle to his shoulder-- for he sprang back, giving a +loud shout--but Ralph wheeled round instantaneously, threw up his +revolver, and fired at the sentinel's body.</p> +<p>He saw him fall; turned round, hurled the heavy stone with a +loud splash into the water, and then--crawling low under the +wall--ran at full speed back again. As he did so, two sentries in +the garden over his head fired, in the direction of the splash in +the water; and shouts were heard all along the bank.</p> +<p>In another instant Ralph grasped the line, and slid down the +snowy slopes into the water; entering so quietly that no sound, +whatever, betrayed his entry. It was icy cold, and almost took away +his breath. Twenty strokes, and he joined Percy.</p> +<p>"All right, old man, they can't see us now."</p> +<p>"You are not hit, are you, Ralph?" Percy gasped.</p> +<p>"No, it was my revolver. I had to shoot a sentry, to save my +life. It's lucky we have got these life belts on, for I am sure we +should never get across."</p> +<p>"There! There!" was shouted, in German. "I see his head bobbing +up and down," and eight or ten rifle shots were fired, from the +garden where the sentry had fallen, in the direction of the +dummy.</p> +<p>The boys swam on desperately, then Ralph said:</p> +<p>"You can slip the string now, Percy. The dummy has done its +work. It must be quite out of sight from the bank.</p> +<p>"Do not you feel the benefit of the India rubber?"</p> +<p>"Yes," Percy said, "I am warm enough, in the body; but my legs +are in agony, from the cold. These gloves are helping us on, +though, at a great rate."</p> +<p>"Well, there is one blessing," Ralph said, "we can't miss the +way, now."</p> +<p>As he spoke, a heavy fire of musketry opened from the French, +upon the other side. Alarmed at the sudden fire on the part of the +Germans, they fired at the flashes of their guns and, fresh +reinforcements coming up on either side, a heavy exchange of +musketry shots took place across the river; partially over the +boys' heads, but principally a hundred yards lower down the stream, +in the direction where the dummy was seen by the Germans.</p> +<p>The boys swam with long, steady, noiseless strokes.</p> +<p>"We must be halfway across," Ralph said.</p> +<p>"I am getting deadly cold, all over, Ralph. I can't sink, of +course; but I shall freeze to death, before I reach the opposite +bank."</p> +<p>"No, no, Percy," Ralph said, as cheerily as he could; though he +felt, himself, that the intense cold was rapidly overcoming his +strength. "Keep up your heart. Strike as hard as you can. The more +you exert yourself, the better."</p> +<p>In another minute or two, Ralph found he was leaving Percy +behind, and slackened his speed.</p> +<p>"Goodbye, Ralph. My legs are all cramped up, and my arms are +numbed. I can't swim another stroke. It is all up with me," he +said, faintly. "God bless you. Don't stop with me; you can do no +good, and your only chance is to go on."</p> +<p>Ralph, however, put one hand upon Percy's life belt, and struck +out for shore; but he felt that it was hopeless. Frightful pains +were shooting through his limbs, and he breathed what he believed +to be a last prayer; when a boom like thunder, a few yards off, +galvanized him into life again--for he saw the gunboat, which they +had seen in the morning, only a few yards distant. She had just +fired a gun, loaded with grape, in the direction of the Germans who +were firing. She was still at anchor, and the stream was drifting +them down fast upon her.</p> +<p>"Help!" Ralph shouted. "Help! We are drowning, and have +dispatches Throw a rope, quick!"</p> +<p>"Where are you?" answered a voice.</p> +<p>"Here, close to you, just abreast," Ralph shouted.</p> +<p>In another instant a rope struck his face. He grasped it, +twisted it tightly round Percy's body and his own, tied a rough +knot with his last strength, and then lost consciousness.</p> +<p>When he recovered his senses, his first sensation was that of +intense pain--so intense that it extracted a groan from him.</p> +<p>"That's right, rub away; and pour some more brandy down his +throat," a voice said.</p> +<p>Then he became conscious that he was being rubbed with hot +flannels. He opened his eyes, and saw a gleaming of moving +machinery, and the red glare of furnaces.</p> +<p>"Where am I?" he asked, at last.</p> +<p>"In the engine room of the gunboat Farcey," a voice said.</p> +<p>"I am suffering agony," Ralph murmured, between his teeth.</p> +<p>"I daresay," the officer who was standing by him answered. "You +were pretty near frozen to death. Luckily your life belts kept you +from taking in any water, but it was a near squeak. Another three +minutes in the water, and the doctor says it would have been all up +with you."</p> +<p>"Where is my brother?" Ralph asked suddenly; sitting up, with a +full consciousness of all that had passed.</p> +<p>"He is coming round," the officer said. "He was farther gone +than you were; and his heart's action was altogether suspended, +from the cold. His limbs are twitching now, and the doctor says he +will do.</p> +<p>"You call him your brother, but I suppose you mean your +son?"</p> +<p>"Please lend me some clothes," Ralph said. "I can stand, +now."</p> +<p>Some clothes had already been got in readiness, and warmed; and +in a couple of minutes Ralph was kneeling by his brother's side. +Percy was now coming to, and was suffering agonies similar to those +which Ralph himself had experienced, from the recommencement of +circulation in his limbs. He looked round, utterly bewildered; for +he had become insensible before the Farcey's gun had given notice +of her proximity. He smiled, however, when his eyes fell on Ralph's +face.</p> +<p>"It is all right, Percy, thank God," Ralph said. "We are on +board the gunboat Farcey and, in ten minutes, we shall be landed in +the heart of Paris."</p> +<p>In another five minutes, Percy was sufficiently recovered to +begin to dress. The commander of the Farcey now turned to +Ralph.</p> +<p>"Your son has had a very narrow shave of it, sir."</p> +<p>"Son!" Ralph said, "He is my brother."</p> +<p>The officer looked surprised.</p> +<p>"How old do you take me to be?" Ralph asked.</p> +<p>"Forty-five or fifty," the officer said.</p> +<p>"I shall not be seventeen for some months," Ralph answered.</p> +<p>The officer looked at him with an air of intense astonishment, +and there was a burst of laughter from the men standing round. The +commandant frowned angrily at them.</p> +<p>"Quite so, my dear sir," he said, soothingly. "I was only joking +with you. It is evident that you are not yet seventeen."</p> +<p>"You think I have lost my senses, with the shock," Ralph said, +smiling. "I can assure you that that is my age. My beard and +whiskers are so firmly fixed on, with cobbler's wax, that I shall +have an awful trouble to get them off; and my hair the same. If you +feel along here, from one ear to the other, you will feel a ridge. +That is the cobbler's wax, that sticks all this mass of frizzled +hair on.</p> +<p>"Did you not notice that both my brother's and my face and hands +were much darker than the rest of our skin?"</p> +<p>"Yes, the doctor did notice that," the captain said--now +beginning to think that Ralph was not insane, after all.</p> +<p>Passing his finger where Ralph directed him, he felt the ridge +of the false hair.</p> +<p>"Who are you then, may I ask?" he said.</p> +<p>"My brother and myself are named Barclay," Ralph said. "We are +lieutenants in the army, and are both decorated for service in the +field. We left Tours four days ago, and are bearers of dispatches +from Gambetta to General Trochu."</p> +<p>A cheer broke from all who were standing within hearing; and the +boys' hands--for Percy came up at the moment--were warmly shaken by +the officers of the boat, one after another. Congratulations of all +sorts were heaped upon them, and those around were unable to make +enough of them.</p> +<p>"No pigeon has come in, for ten days," the commander said. "You +will indeed be welcome."</p> +<p>At this moment, a sailor came down to say that they were passing +the Louvre and, in another two minutes, the gunboat lay alongside +the wharf.</p> +<p>"You do not know, I suppose, where Trochu is to be found?" the +commander of the Farcey asked.</p> +<p>"No, indeed," Ralph said.</p> +<p>"I will go with you, myself," the officer said. "If the general +has gone to bed, we must knock him up. He won't mind, when he hears +the reason."</p> +<p>It was but a short distance to walk, but the boys had great +difficulty in getting there; for their limbs were stiff and aching, +and they felt a burning sensation all over them, as if they had +been dipped in boiling water. General Trochu had not yet gone to +bed and--upon the message being delivered by the orderly, "The +commander of the Farcey, with officers bearing dispatches, from +Tours,"--he ordered them to be instantly admitted.</p> +<p>"These are the Lieutenants Barclay, general," the commander of +the Farcey said. "A heavy firing broke out, suddenly, from the +water side at Lower Meudon. It was answered from our side +and--thinking that it might be someone trying to swim across--I +fired a round of grape into the Germans, and ordered a sharp +lookout to be kept. I had scarcely spoken the words before we were +hailed for a rope; and in another minute these officers--both +insensible from cold--were pulled on board. Thinking they might +have dispatches, I at once started up the river; and when they were +brought round, by the surgeon, they stated that they were the +Lieutenants Barclay, bearers of dispatches from Tours."</p> +<p>"Gallantly done, gentlemen! Bravely done!" the general said +warmly, shaking both boys by the hand.</p> +<p>The burning heat of Percy's hand struck him, at once.</p> +<p>"Where are your dispatches, gentlemen? You have preserved them, +I hope?"</p> +<p>Ralph produced the two quills.</p> +<p>"They are duplicate, general," he said. "We each carried one, in +case any accident might befall one of us."</p> +<p>"Thank you," the general said. "I need now detain you no longer. +I have work here for all night, and you had better go instantly to +bed. Your brother is in a high state of fever."</p> +<p>He touched a bell, and an officer in waiting came in.</p> +<p>"Captain Bar, will you kindly take these gentlemen to a hotel, +at once. The horses are, as usual, in the carriage I suppose; +and,"--he dropped his voice--"send a message from me to request +Doctor Marcey to see them, at once. The younger one is in a state +of high fever."</p> +<p>In another quarter of an hour the boys were in comfortable beds, +in rooms adjoining each other. Ralph--who was heavy and stupid, +with the effects of the cold--was asleep almost the instant his +head touched the pillow. He was roused a short time afterwards by +being shaken and, opening his eyes, he saw someone leaning over +him.</p> +<p>"Drink this," the gentleman said, holding a glass to his +lips.</p> +<p>Ralph mechanically did as he was told; and fell off again into a +heavy sleep, from which he did not awake until late the next +afternoon.</p> +<p>His first impulse was to look at his watch. It had stopped at +eleven o'clock, the night before--the hour at which he had entered +the Seine. Then he rang the bell.</p> +<p>"What o'clock is it?" he asked, when the servant entered.</p> +<p>"Just struck five, sir."</p> +<p>"What, five in the afternoon?" Ralph exclaimed.</p> +<p>"Yes, sir."</p> +<p>"I have slept," Ralph said, with a laugh. "However, I feel all +right again, now.</p> +<p>"Is my brother up?"</p> +<p>"No, sir," the man said.</p> +<p>"Percy!" Ralph shouted, "It is five o'clock in the afternoon. +Get up."</p> +<p>"The other gentleman is not in the next room, sir," the servant +said.</p> +<p>"Is he not?" Ralph said, puzzled. "I was desperately sleepy last +night, certainly; but not too sleepy, I should have thought, to +have made a mistake about that. I feel sure he was in the next +room."</p> +<p>"He was, sir," the servant said, "but Doctor Marcey, when he +came to see you--just after you got into bed--ordered him to be +carried at once into another room, in order that he might not +disturb you. He said it was essential that you should have your +sleep out, undisturbed."</p> +<p>"But why should my brother disturb me?" Ralph asked, anxiously. +"Is he not well?"</p> +<p>"No, sir, he has got fever. He has been calling out, a great +deal. He has got two sisters with him, and the doctor has been +every hour."</p> +<p>By this time Ralph was out of bed.</p> +<p>"Here are some clothes, sir," the man said, handing them to him. +"The landlord thought you would want some at once, when you woke; +and ordered three or four suits for you to try."</p> +<p>Ralph seized the first that came to hand, and threw them on.</p> +<p>"All Paris was talking about your getting through the enemy, +last night, sir. There have been hundreds of people here to +call."</p> +<p>Ralph did not even hear what was said.</p> +<p>"Now," he said, "take me to him, at once."</p> +<p>The servant led Ralph along a passage and stopped at a door, at +which he knocked. A Sister of Mercy opened the door.</p> +<p>"This is the other gentleman."</p> +<p>The sister opened the door for Ralph to enter.</p> +<p>"He is quiet now," she said, in a soft, compassionate tone.</p> +<p>Ralph went into the room. Percy lay in the bed, with his head +surrounded with ice. His face was flushed, and his eyes wild. He +was moving uneasily about, talking to himself.</p> +<p>"It is that schoolmaster who is at the bottom of it," he +muttered. "He was a traitor, and I thought we hung him, but I +suppose we didn't. Perhaps he got down, after we had gone off. If +not, how could he have betrayed us again?</p> +<p>"I have heard of liquid fire, but that was liquid ice. It got +into my veins, somehow, instead of blood. I tell you, Ralph, it's +no good. I can't stand it any longer; but I will pay off that +schoolmaster, first. Let me get at him," and he made an effort to +rise.</p> +<p>The sister tried to restrain him, but so violent were his +efforts to rise that Ralph--who was looking on, with tears +streaming down his cheeks--was obliged to assist to hold him down. +When he became quiet, the sister forced some medicine between his +lips--Ralph holding up his head.</p> +<p>"Shall I speak to him?" Ralph asked. "He may know my voice."</p> +<p>"Better not, sir," the nurse said, "it would probably only set +him off again."</p> +<p>"What does the doctor say about him?" Ralph asked.</p> +<p>"He says it is brain fever," the nurse said. "He only said it +might be some days, before the crisis came; and that he could not +give any decided opinion, at present. But he seemed to have +hope."</p> +<p>"Thank God, at least, for that!" Ralph said, earnestly.</p> +<p>Percy, turning his head round again, caught sight of Ralph.</p> +<p>"Ah, there is that schoolmaster again! If no one else will hang +him, I will do it, myself. Let me get at him!"</p> +<p>And he again made desperate efforts to get out of bed.</p> +<p>"You had better go, sir," one of the sisters said, urgently. +"The sight of you makes him worse, and you can do him no good."</p> +<p>Seeing that it was so, Ralph reluctantly left the room; his only +comfort being that Percy was as carefully tended, and looked after, +as it was possible for him to be. He had scarcely returned to his +room, when an officer was shown in.</p> +<p>"I daresay you hardly remember me," he said. "I came here with +you, last night."</p> +<p>"I am very glad to see you again, and to thank you for the +trouble you took," Ralph said. "I was too sleepy to do so, last +night."</p> +<p>"Not at all," the officer answered. "However, I am here with a +message from the general, now. He would have asked you to dine with +him but, hearing of the state of your brother, he could not ask you +to leave him for so long a time; but he would be glad if you would +come to see him, for an hour, this evening. He wishes to know how +you managed to pass through the German lines; and he also desires +to be informed, as far as you can give such information, of the +number and position of the enemy.</p> +<p>"What surprises us all, more than anything, is that the +dispatches are dated the morning of the thirteenth instant; and you +were picked up, by the Farcey, upon the evening of the sixteenth. +It seems incredible that you should have done the distance, and +managed to get through the German lines, in the time. Only one +other messenger has got through; and his dispatches were more than +ten days old, when they reached us, and had been forestalled by +some pigeons. Your news is six days later than any we have +received."</p> +<p>"We slept, on the night of the thirteenth, at Montargis," Ralph +said; "on the fourteenth at Melun, on the fifteenth at Versailles; +and last night--as you know--here."</p> +<p>"I must not get the information before the general," the officer +said, with a laugh. "It is half-past six, now. The general dines at +seven. At what time will you be with him? Shall we say nine?"</p> +<p>"I will be there at nine," Ralph said, "but the general will, I +hope, excuse my coming either in uniform, or full dress of any +kind. I have, of course, nothing with me."</p> +<p>"General Trochu will of course understand that," the officer +said. "Goodbye."</p> +<p>Ralph now went back to Percy's room. The doctor had just come. +He was accompanied by another medical man. Ralph stood by, in +silent attention, while the doctor felt Percy's pulse, and asked a +few questions of the nurse. They then gave some orders, and said +that fresh medicine should be sent in, in a quarter of an hour; and +that they would come in again, at ten o'clock, to see how he was +going on.</p> +<p>"What do you think of him, sir?" Ralph asked, as the doctor came +out.</p> +<p>"He has a sharp attack of brain fever," the doctor said, "but he +is young, with an excellent constitution. I trust we shall pull him +through. I cannot say anything for certain, at present--till the +fever takes a turn, one way or the other--but I have strong +hopes."</p> +<p>Ralph ordered some dinner to be sent up to his room, for he +began to be keenly awake to the fact that he had eaten nothing, for +more than twenty-four hours. After he had taken the meal, he sat in +Percy's room, until it was time to go to General Trochu's; keeping +himself, however, in a position so as to be hidden by the +curtain--for the sight of him evidently excited the patient. Percy +was, as far as his brother could see, in just the same state as +before: sometimes talking to himself, in disconnected sentences; +sometimes raving wildly, and imagining himself repeating the scenes +through which he had passed, since he left home.</p> +<p>At nine o'clock, exactly, Ralph sent in his name to the +governor; and was at once shown in. The general had already left +the table, and was smoking in a small study. With him were Generals +Ducrot and Vinoy. General Trochu rose, and shook him cordially by +the hand; presented him to the other generals, and asked him to +take a cigar, and sit down.</p> +<p>"Generals Ducrot and Vinoy are surprised, I see, at your +appearance, Captain Barclay," General Trochu began.</p> +<p>"By the way," he interrupted himself, "you are in the Gazette, +this morning, as captain."</p> +<p>Ralph bowed, and expressed his thanks.</p> +<p>"No thanks are due at all, Captain Barclay," the old veteran +said. "You have well earned your promotion; and Gambetta--who +speaks of you, I may say, in the highest terms--tells me that he +promised you the step, if you got in. I need not say that, whether +he had done so or not, I should have given it to you.</p> +<p>"But I was saying, I see Generals Vinoy and Ducrot are +surprised--as I am, myself--at your appearance. Gambetta, in his +letter, twice uses the expression young officers. Once he said, +'these young officers have greatly distinguished themselves, and +have gained the cross of the legion of honor;' and again he says, +'these young officers have volunteered to carry dispatches.'</p> +<p>"Naturally, my friends were looking for a younger man; and +having only seen you for an instant last night, and not having +observed your features, specially, I confess that I was expecting a +younger man.</p> +<p>"You see," he said, with a smile, "we can quite understand +Gambetta's calling your brother a young officer, for he is a mere +lad; but one would hardly have applied the same term to +yourself."</p> +<p>Ralph had flushed crimson, at the commencement of this +speech.</p> +<p>"I must apologize very greatly, general," he said, when the +Governor of Paris stopped; "for the mistake is certainly due to my +own forgetfulness."</p> +<p>His hearers looked surprised.</p> +<p>"I slept until five o'clock this afternoon," Ralph continued; +"owing, I believe, to a powerful opiate that the doctor you kindly +sent us gave me. Since I woke, my thoughts have been entirely given +to my brother; and the thought of my singular appearance never +entered my mind. I have become so accustomed--in the few days since +I left Tours--to this beard, mustache, and hair, that I never +thought of them, for a moment. Had I thought of it, I could not +have presented myself before you, this evening; for I should not +have presumed to do so, in my present state; and it will take me +some hours of hard work, and not a little pain, before I get rid of +them--for they are fastened on with shoemaker's wax and, I fear, +will not come off, without taking a considerable portion of skin +with them."</p> +<p>The three generals laughed heartily at Ralph's apology, and +their own mistake; and General Trochu then asked him to give them a +full account of what had happened to him, what he had seen, and +what information he had gained since he left Tours. Ralph told the +story unaffectedly, from beginning to end, and received warm +commendation from his listeners.</p> +<p>"Your story began at Tours," General Trochu said; "where had you +last been, before that?"</p> +<p>"We had only arrived, ten days before, from a German prison," +Ralph answered.</p> +<p>The generals all laughed.</p> +<p>"You are adventurous fellows, you and your brother," General +Vinoy said. "How did you get taken, and how did you get out?"</p> +<p>Ralph again told his story.</p> +<p>"You are cool hands, you Barclays," General Ducrot said. "How +did you get commissions first? Were you at the Polytechnic, or +Saint Cyr?"</p> +<p>"No, general," Ralph said, modestly, "we had no such advantages. +We won our commissions--and the cross of the Legion--in the Vosges, +as franc tireurs."</p> +<p>"In which corps?" General Trochu asked, a little sharply. "They +have not done any very great things, the franc tireurs."</p> +<p>"We were in the franc tireurs of Dijon," Ralph said, a little +proudly. "We several times beat superior forces. We blew up the +bridge of the Vesouze; and should have blown up the tunnel of +Saverne, had it not been for treachery."</p> +<p>"Yes, yes," General Trochu said; "I remember Gambetta has once +or twice mentioned your corps, especially. You see, we don't hear +much from outside.</p> +<p>"Let us hear of the affairs you have mentioned. Your account +will give us a better idea of the state of things, in the Vosges, +than fifty dispatches would do."</p> +<p>Thus asked, Ralph gave an account of the doings of the corps; +from the day they arrived in the Vosges, to the day he had left +them--reduced to a fourth of their original strength. The three +generals sat and smoked their cigars while he spoke, asking +questions occasionally.</p> +<p>"Very good," General Trochu said, when he finished; and the +other generals cordially assented.</p> +<p>"But how come you to speak German so well?" General Trochu +asked; "and how was it you understood the English in which the +officer spoke, at Saverne?"</p> +<p>"We are English," Ralph said; and his hearers gave a +simultaneous start of surprise. "That is to say, our nationality is +English, though we are half French. Our father--an officer in the +English army--was wounded, left the service, married a French lady, +and settled in France for a time. We have been educated partly in +England, Germany, and France; so that we speak the three languages +nearly equally well."</p> +<p>"Well, Captain Barclay," General Trochu said, "I am almost sorry +that you are not French; for you would be a credit to any +country.</p> +<p>"And now, I think it is time to be going to bed," and he drew +out his watch. "Bless me, it is one o'clock! I had no idea it was +so late. Good night.</p> +<p>"I will not ask you to call again, for a day or two; as your +brother will naturally occupy your attention, and care. I trust +that I shall soon hear good news of him."</p> +<p>"Good night, Captain Barclay," the other generals said, +cordially, each giving him their hands; and Ralph made his way +across the dark streets--for there was no gas--back to his +hotel.</p> +<p>He went at once up to Percy's room; and found that, if not +decidedly better, he was at least no worse; and the Sisters of +Charity, who were nursing him, said that the doctors had spoken +hopefully at their last visit. Ralph had intended to sit up all +night, but the nurses assured him that he could be of no use, +whatever; and indeed, that he would be worse than useless, as his +presence excited Percy. They themselves were keeping watch, by +turns.</p> +<p>Accordingly Ralph--who still felt the effects of the cold +immersion--went off to bed and--in spite of the late hour at which +he had risen--was in a few minutes sound asleep.</p> +<h2><a name="Ch17" id="Ch17">Chapter 17</a>: A Balloon Voyage.</h2> +<p>For eight-and-forty hours, Percy's fever and delirium continued +unabated. At the end of that time, he fell into a long sleep; and +the doctor, as he felt his hand and heard his breathing, told his +brother that he thought the crisis was over, and that he would +awaken, conscious. His prognostication turned out well founded and, +to Ralph's intense delight, Percy knew him when he opened his eyes. +He was weak--weaker than Ralph could have supposed anyone could +possibly have become, after only two days' illness. But he was +fairly convalescent.</p> +<p>Ralph had scarcely left him, during these two days; and had only +been out once from the hotel. He had sent for a newspaper; to read +for himself, in the Gazette, the promotion which General Trochu had +notified to him and, after doing so, he turned to another portion; +and there, among the lists of decorations given, were the names of +Percy and himself, as promoted to be commanders of the Legion for +having, with extreme gallantry, conveyed dispatches from Tours to +Paris, through the German lines.</p> +<p>It was after reading this newspaper that Ralph went out. His +walk was not a long one. He went first to a tailor, and ordered two +captain's uniforms; for Percy was so nearly his own size +that--except that his shoulders were an inch less in width--Ralph's +clothes fitted him exactly. He then went to the Palais Royal, where +there are several shops which sell nothing but medals, and +decorations; and bought two ribbons of the commander's rank, in the +legion of honor.</p> +<p>One terrible morning Ralph spent in a hairdresser's hands and, +at the cost of no little pain, got rid of all that mass of hair +which had so transformed him. The stain was now nearly worn off the +skin; and Ralph was quite surprised, when he again looked at +himself in the glass.</p> +<p>"I was about beginning to forget," he said, with a laugh, "that +I was a boy, after all."</p> +<p>The first day of Percy's convalescence, he dozed a good deal; +but the next day he woke, much brighter and better.</p> +<p>"Look here, Percy," Ralph said, laying the ribbon before him; +"that's better than medicine for you. There is the ribbon of a +commander of the legion of honor. You can safely boast that you are +the youngest who ever wore it; and earned it well, too, old man. +Won't they be pleased, at home? And we are both gazetted as +captains."</p> +<p>Percy smiled with pleasure. His attack had been a very sharp +one; but so short an illness, however severe, is speedily got over. +The doctor had, that morning, said that all he wanted now was +building up; and that, in a very few days, he would be about. +Indeed, Percy wanted to get up that day; insisting that he was +quite strong. When he once stood up, however, he found he was much +weaker than he had imagined; but sat up in an armchair, all the +evening. The next day he remained up all day and, three days after, +he felt strong enough to go to the governor with Ralph, to ask for +their promised places in the next balloon.</p> +<p>It was now the twenty-third of November. A carriage was sent for +and, after some difficulty, procured; for carriages were already +becoming scarce, in Paris. They drove up to the entrance, and went +in; but were told by an orderly--who could scarcely conceal his +surprise at these lads, in the uniform of captains of the staff, +and with decorations scarcely ever seen, except upon the breasts of +superior officers--that the general was out. They turned and went +out but, as they reached the steps, a number of officers rode +up.</p> +<p>"There is General Trochu himself, with Vinoy and Ducrot," Ralph +said.</p> +<p>The generals dismounted, and came up the steps. As they did so +their eyes fell upon the boys, who both saluted. They paused, in +surprise.</p> +<p>"What masquerade is this, young gentlemen?" General Trochu +asked, sternly. "Allow me to ask how you venture to dress up as +captains, on the staff; and still more how you dare to put on the +ribbons of commanders of the legion of honor?</p> +<p>"It is no laughing matter," he said, angrily, as Ralph could not +resist a smile. "It is a punishable offence; and your impudence in +showing yourselves off, at my door, makes the matter the more +unpardonable."</p> +<p>"I see, general, that you do not remember us."</p> +<p>"I do not, sir," General Trochu said, looking at him sternly. +"To the best of my belief, I never set eyes upon you before."</p> +<p>The numerous staff of officers--who had accompanied the +generals, and who were scattered thickly around them-- gave an +angry murmur; for scarce one among them wore the coveted +decoration.</p> +<p>"I am Ralph Barclay, and this is my brother Percy," Ralph said, +respectfully.</p> +<p>"Impossible!" the three generals exclaimed, simultaneously; +while there was a general exclamation of surprise, from the +officers round--for the courageous deed of the Barclays, in making +their way through the enemy's lines, had been a general topic of +conversation, and all Paris was familiar with their names.</p> +<p>"It is so, general," Ralph said, respectfully. "I explained to +you, at the interview that I had the honor of having with you, in +the presence of Generals Ducrot and Vinoy, that it was the false +hair which made all the difference; and that I was but little older +than my brother."</p> +<p>The generals no longer doubted. They all shook both boys by the +hand.</p> +<p>"I am astounded," General Trochu said; "astounded that two such +mere boys, as I now see you are, should have accomplished what you +have done. However, courage is of no age; and I do not think that +there are any here,"--and he turned to the officers round him--"who +will not agree with me that these ribbons are worthily placed."</p> +<p>"No, indeed," was the general reply; and the officers all +pressed round, to shake hands with the boys, as they accompanied +the governor back into the house.</p> +<p>General Trochu went at once into his private study, and told the +boys to sit down.</p> +<p>"Now, what can I do for you, boys?"</p> +<p>"Monsieur Gambetta promised us that he would write, to ask for +us to have places in the first balloon which came out, after we +arrived," Ralph said. "Owing to my brother's illness, I have not +been able to ask, before; but I am now anxious to leave as soon as +possible, especially as the doctor says that change is desirable +for my brother, and that he ought to have at least a month's +nursing, at home, before he gets on horseback again."</p> +<p>"A balloon will start tomorrow morning," General Trochu said, +"but if you choose to stay here, I will promise you both places +upon my own staff; or upon those of Generals Ducrot or +Vinoy--either of whom would, I am sure, be very glad to receive +you."</p> +<p>"You are very kind, indeed, sir--very kind; and we feel greatly +honored by your offer," Ralph said, gratefully. "Had we any +intention, whatever, of remaining in the army, we should accept it, +with many thanks; but it is not so. We are English; and at the end +of the war we leave France, and go back to live at home. We entered +the ranks with no thought of winning promotion, or favor; but +simply from a sense of duty to the country to which our mother +belonged, and in which we were born.</p> +<p>"There will, I suppose, be a great battle fought near Orleans, +shortly; and I should like to be present, if possible--and Percy +wants rest. Therefore, general, while thanking you most warmly for +your kindness, we would rather go out."</p> +<p>"Very well," the general said, "it shall be as you wish. There +is certainly more chance of your seeing stirring service, in the +field, than in here. I do not blame you for your choice. I will +send a note at once to Monsieur Teclier--who has charge of the +balloon--to say that you will accompany him.</p> +<p>"Goodbye, lads, goodbye; you are fine young fellows, and your +father has every right to be proud of you. Tell him so, from +me."</p> +<p>The boys rose, and bowed; but the general held out his hand, and +shook theirs warmly.</p> +<p>Upon leaving the room, they found several of the officers of the +staff waiting outside; who begged them to stay, and have a chat +with them. Ralph at once accepted the invitation; upon the +condition that Percy should have a sofa upon which to lie down, for +his brother was looking pale, and faint. They were most warmly +received, in a large drawing room, in which were over a dozen +officers of different ranks. Some bottles of champagne were opened, +cigars were lit and, while Percy lay quietly upon the sofa, Ralph +chatted with the officers; relating, at their earnest request, +several of their adventures in the Vosges, as well as the story of +their entering into Paris.</p> +<p>His new friends warmly pressed them to stop and dine with them; +but Ralph pleaded that the balloon was to start at five in the +morning, and that he wished Percy to lie down, and get a good +night's sleep before starting. The carriage had been discharged, +hours since; but one of the officers ordered a carriage of General +Trochu's to the door and, after a hearty leave taking, the boys +returned to their hotel.</p> +<p>"What a curious scene it is, Percy," Ralph said. "Who would +think that we were in a besieged city? Everything looks very much +as usual: the shops are open; people walk about and chat, and +smoke, and drink their coffee or absinthe, just as usual. The only +difference is, that everyone is in some sort of uniform or other. +One does not see a single able-bodied man altogether in civilian +dress; and at night the streets are very dismal, owing to there +being no gas."</p> +<p>"How much longer do they seem to expect to hold out, Ralph?"</p> +<p>"Another two months, anyhow; perhaps three, or even more. There +seems to be a large stock of everything, and everyone is put on to +a regular allowance--just enough to live upon, and no more."</p> +<p>"I seem to have everything I want, Ralph; lots of beef tea, and +soup, and jelly, and so on."</p> +<p>"Yes, Percy; but you obtain your food from the hospital. The +hotel could not furnish anything of the kind, I can tell you.</p> +<p>"Here we are. Now you lie down at once, and get to sleep. I will +wake you in plenty of time."</p> +<p>At ten minutes before the appointed time, the boys arrived at +the Northern Railway Station; which presented a very different +appearance to that which it ordinarily wore. No whistle of +locomotives, or rumble of heavy trains, disturbed the silence of +the station. A smell of varnish pervaded the whole place; and +several empty balloons hung from the roof, undergoing the process +of drying. The official--who had received them at the +entrance--conducted them outside the station; and there, in the +light of some torches, a great black mass could be seen, swaying +heavily to and fro. The aeronaut was standing beside it.</p> +<p>"Here are the gentlemen who accompany you," the officer said to +him.</p> +<p>"How are you, gentlemen?" he said, cheerily. "We have a fine +night, or rather morning; the wind is northerly. I suppose this is +your first ascent?"</p> +<p>"Yes, indeed," Ralph said, "and I own I hope it will be the +last. Have the dispatches arrived?"</p> +<p>"No; I have the mail bags, but not the dispatches Hush! There +are a horse's hoofs."</p> +<p>A few minutes afterwards a railway official brought a note, +which he delivered to Monsieur Teclier.</p> +<p>"Bah!" he said, in an annoyed tone, "why cannot they be +punctual?"</p> +<p>"What is it, sir?" Ralph asked.</p> +<p>"A note from the general, to say that the dispatches will not be +ready for an hour. That means an hour and a half; and by that time +it will be light enough to be seen, and we shall have to run the +gauntlet. However, I suppose it cannot be helped.</p> +<p>"The best thing will be to pass the time as cheerfully as we +can; and that certainly will not be in waiting out here, in this +bitter cold. I have, fortunately, a few bottles of excellent wine +in the car; so I propose, gentlemen, that we go in to a fire, have +a glass of wine, and smoke a cigar, tranquilly."</p> +<p>Monsieur Teclier gave a few directions concerning the balloon; +and they then adjourned to a work shed near, where a good fire was +blazing, for the use of the men employed in filling the balloon. +Here the hour and a half of waiting passed pleasantly.</p> +<p>At a quarter to seven, the dispatches arrived. They were hastily +placed in the car, in which everything else had already been +packed. The Barclays took their place, the word was given, "Let go +all!" and, in another instant, the earth seemed to sink away from +under them, and they were rising over the tops of the houses.</p> +<p>The dawn had already broken, gray and uncertain. Light clouds +were floating overhead. For two or three minutes, not a word was +spoken. The scene was so wonderful--the effect so extraordinary, to +the boys--that they were unable to utter a word. Every instant, the +earth seemed to sink away from them; every instant, their view +extended farther and farther; and the distant fields, villages, and +hills seemed actually to spring into sight.</p> +<p>"It is wonderful!" Ralph said, at last.</p> +<p>"Magnificent!" Percy responded.</p> +<p>"I wonder whether they see us?" Ralph said.</p> +<p>"We shall soon know," Monsieur Teclier said. "We have crossed +the river, and over the walls already. In another five minutes, we +shall be over their lines."</p> +<p>There were good telescopes in the car, and the boys directed +them upon the immense panorama below them.</p> +<p>"What fort is that, immediately beneath us?" Ralph asked.</p> +<p>"That is Vanves. The village you see there is Chatillon. Look +out now, we may expect visitors, in a minute."</p> +<p>He had hardly spoken before they heard a faint sound, followed +by others similar.</p> +<p>"That is musketry," Monsieur Teclier said. "Listen."</p> +<p>They did listen, and heard a peculiar whistling sound; which +seemed below, around, and about them.</p> +<p>"That is a whistle of bullets; there is no mistaking them," +Ralph said.</p> +<p>"We are too low," Monsieur Teclier said. "Throw out that bundle +of newspapers; we will go up a little."</p> +<p>Ralph did so.</p> +<p>"What would be the consequence, if a bullet hit the +balloon?"</p> +<p>"No consequence at all, except that a slight escape of gas would +take place.</p> +<p>"There, we are going into the clouds now, and they will not +trouble any more about us."</p> +<p>"I thought that we were going to have wind," Ralph said. "The +barometer at the hotel had fallen a good deal; and the clouds, +before we started, looked like it but, now we are once up here, we +do not seem to move."</p> +<p>In another two minutes, they passed through the layer of clouds, +and the sun shone brightly upon them. They looked down on a sea of +white mist, without a break.</p> +<p>"There," Ralph continued, "we are entirely becalmed. These +clouds below do not move, nor do we."</p> +<p>"You cannot tell that," Monsieur Teclier said. "We go in the +same direction, and at the same speed, as the clouds. It is just as +if you were in a boat, at night, upon a rapid stream. If you could +see no banks, or other stationary objects, you might believe +yourself to be standing still; while you were being drifted +forward, at the rate of twenty miles an hour. We may be traveling, +now, forty or fifty miles an hour; and as I agree with you, as to +the look of the clouds before starting, I believe that we are doing +so--or, at any rate, that we are traveling fast--but in what +direction, or at what rate, I have no means, whatever, of +knowing.</p> +<p>"Even if we found that we moved, relatively to the clouds below +us, that would only show that this upper current was somewhat +different from that below."</p> +<p>"But how are we to find out about it?" Percy asked.</p> +<p>"We must keep a sharp lookout for rifts in the clouds. If we +could get a peep of the earth, only for a minute, it would be +sufficient to tell us the direction and, to some extent, the speed +at which we are going."</p> +<p>The boys, in vain, hung over the side. The sea of clouds beneath +them changed, and swelled, and rolled its masses of vapor over each +other; as if a contest of some gigantic reptiles were going on with +them.</p> +<p>"There must be a great deal of wind, to account for these rapid +changes of form," Percy said, after a long silence. "Suppose you +see nothing of the earth? At what time will you begin to +descend?"</p> +<p>"In five hours from the time of starting, at twenty-five miles +an hour--supposing that the wind holds north--we should fall south +of the Loire, somewhere between Orleans and Bourges. At eleven +o'clock, then, I will let out gas; and go down below the clouds, to +see whereabouts we are. If we cannot recognize the country, or see +any river which may guide us, we shall at least see our direction +and rate of movement; and can either throw out more newspapers, and +keep on for awhile, or descend at once."</p> +<p>It was just ten o'clock, when Ralph gave a sudden cry.</p> +<p>"The sea!" he said; "the sea!"</p> +<p>"Impossible," Monsieur Teclier said, hanging over the side; "I +can see nothing."</p> +<p>"Nor can I, now," Ralph said; "but I caught a glimpse, just now, +and I will almost swear to its being the sea--though how we could +get there, I don't know."</p> +<p>"If it is," the aeronaut said, "the wind must be blowing half a +gale, up here; and must have changed entirely, either to the west +or south. It is too serious to hesitate; we must find out if your +eyes have not deceived you."</p> +<p>So saying, he pulled the valve.</p> +<p>"Keep a sharp lookout, and look at the compass."</p> +<p>"There, there!" the boys cried, as the clouds opened again, for +an instant. "It is the sea, and we are going west."</p> +<p>"Then we are over the Atlantic," Monsieur Teclier said.</p> +<p>The gas was roaring from the valve above, and the balloon sank +rapidly into the stratum of clouds. For a minute, all was silent; +and then a cry broke from them all. They were a considerable +distance from the coast, and were driving along with great +rapidity. Immediately under the balloon was an island, of no great +size and, beyond that, no land whatever was visible.</p> +<p>"We must descend on that island, or we are lost. It is our only +chance."</p> +<p>The valve was still open; and its influence was easily seen, for +the balloon sank rapidly down through the opening of the +clouds.</p> +<p>"We shan't be down in time," the boys exclaimed, +simultaneously.</p> +<p>It was but too evident. The balloon, when the first general view +of the situation had been obtained, was fully a mile high; and was +traveling seaward at the rate of thirty miles an hour. The island, +at the point at which they were crossing, was about three miles +wide; but they had passed fully half a mile over it, before they +obtained a fair view. In five minutes, therefore, they would be +beyond the land again; and they had to fall a mile, in that +time.</p> +<p>"Cut the balloon to pieces," Monsieur Teclier said. "Tear it up. +We must risk everything."</p> +<p>The boys seized the silk, tore, and hacked at it; as did the +aeronaut. In two minutes, a vast quantity of gas had escaped from +the rents, and the silk was doubled up near the top of the net.</p> +<a id="PicD" name="PicD"></a><center><img src="images/d.jpg" alt= +"Illustration: The Sea! The Sea!" /></center> +<p>"That will do," Monsieur Teclier said. "We shall be down in +time, now."</p> +<p>The boys looked over the car and, accustomed as they had been to +face danger, were appalled.</p> +<p>"It is all up with us, this time," Ralph said; "we shall he +smashed, altogether."</p> +<p>"No," the aeronaut exclaimed, "the silk is acting as a +parachute, now, and checking the descent. Now, help me to throw out +all the bundles."</p> +<p>They did so, working silently and with difficulty; for the car +was oscillating so greatly that they were obliged to hold on, by +its side, not to be thrown out. The descent was less rapid than it +had been, but was still sufficiently alarming.</p> +<p>"Is there a chance?" Ralph said.</p> +<p>"We shall get off with a shaking," Monsieur Teclier said. "The +car is made of wicker work, and is as elastic as a ball. Drop the +grapnel, now; in another minute, we shall be within holding +distance."</p> +<p>As the balloon neared the ground, the oscillation became less +violent, and the pace diminished.</p> +<p>"The grapnel is on the ground," Percy said, looking over.</p> +<p>"Hold tight, hold tight," Monsieur Teclier said, warningly. "We +shall catch fast on to those trees."</p> +<p>There was a tearing and rending, a series of tremendous jerks, +and then a bump against the ground; which threw them all into the +bottom of the car, from which the next jerk threw them out on to +the ground. Fortunately the ground was even, and the soil had +lately been plowed; but the shock was so violent that it was some +minutes before either of the boys recovered consciousness. When +they did so, they found that two or three gentlemen were leaning +over them; while several peasants were endeavoring, under the +direction of Monsieur Teclier, to hold the balloon--which was +thrashing the ground with great violence.</p> +<p>"Thank God, you are all alive," one of the gentlemen said.</p> +<p>A peasant now came running up, with some water. The gentleman +who had spoken dashed a little in their faces.</p> +<p>"I do not think any of your limbs are broken," he said. "Do you +feel any pain?"</p> +<p>"I feel sore and bruised, all over," Ralph said, getting up with +some assistance; "but I don't think that anything serious is the +matter.</p> +<p>"How are you, Percy?"</p> +<p>"I don't think I am hurt seriously, Ralph; but I would rather +lie still, for the present."</p> +<p>Ralph explained to the gentleman--who again leaned over Percy, +and felt his pulse--that his brother had been recently ill, and was +still weak.</p> +<p>"Ah, that accounts for it," the gentleman said. "I do not think +that he is seriously hurt. I am a doctor; and was luckily out +riding with these gentlemen, when we happened to look up and saw +your balloon falling, like a stone, from the clouds. We thought at +first that you must be dashed to pieces; but when we saw that the +speed was being a little checked, we had some hope, and galloped in +the direction in which it was falling. We were within five hundred +yards when you fell, but we hardly expected to see anyone +alive.</p> +<p>"Do not try to move," he said to Percy. "We sent a man for a +vehicle, and a few necessaries, before we set off ourselves."</p> +<p>"Where have we fallen?" Ralph asked. "We were astonished to find +ourselves over the sea, for the wind was north when we +started."</p> +<p>"You have fallen upon Belle Isle," the gentleman said, "so the +wind must have changed materially, since you started."</p> +<p>Monsieur Teclier now came up.</p> +<p>"I must really congratulate you both," he said to Ralph, "upon +your coolness and presence of mind, in a very frightful position. +The oldest aeronaut could not have shown more nerve."</p> +<p>"You see," Ralph said, "we have been pretty often in danger, +now; and although the sort of danger was new, the degree of danger +was not."</p> +<p>The gentlemen smiled a little, as Ralph spoke. The Barclays had +come out in plain clothes, bringing their uniform in the balloon +for, in the event of the balloon having fallen among the Germans, +it was of course essential that they should be able to get off, +unobserved. They therefore looked mere lads; and their talk, of +having passed through as great a danger as that which had just made +the spectators of it feel faint and sick only to witness, appeared +to be a mere bit of exaggerated braggadocio.</p> +<p>A light cart now arrived, in which some mattresses had been +laid; some bandages, and other surgical necessaries had also been +added, together with a bottle of brandy.</p> +<p>"Fortunately we do not want any of these, except the brandy," +the surgeon said. "A little of that will do you all good.</p> +<p>"Now a few strips of plaster,"--this was to Monsieur Teclier, +whose face was cut a good deal--"and then you will do, till you get +to the town."</p> +<p>The three voyagers were now helped into the cart; for they were +all very stiff and greatly shaken, and were glad to stretch +themselves out on the mattresses, covered over with blankets, until +they reached the little town. Here they were met by the whole +population, cheering lustily. Another wagon had been sent off for +the balloon; and a number of people now set out to search for the +bags of dispatches, etc. which had been thrown out during the last +part of the descent. The Sous Prefect at the island placed his +house at once at their disposal. But they said that they would +rather go to a hotel, first, and take a hot bath--which the doctor +recommended them--but should be very happy to breakfast with him, +after that. Before going to the hotel, however, Monsieur Teclier +sent off a dispatch to Tours; saying that he had arrived at Belle +Isle with news from Paris, at a quarter to seven; and that, at that +time, everything was going on well.</p> +<p>He next inquired as to means of reaching the mainland. The wind +was dead off shore, and a sailing vessel would have taken a long +time to make the passage. However, there was a small steamer in +harbor; and the Sous Prefect took upon himself to engage that the +fires should be lighted, at once, and that they should cross in two +or three hours.</p> +<p>After reaching the hotel they were examined carefully by the +surgeon; who pronounced that no harm, whatever, had been done to +them, and that they had escaped with a few contusions, and a good +shaking.</p> +<p>The breakfast was quite an ovation. All the principal people of +the place were assembled; and when Monsieur Teclier entered, +followed by the young Barclays, the gentlemen clapped their hands +and cheered, and the ladies waved their handkerchiefs. After +breakfast, the Sous Prefect proposed an adjournment into the +drawing room; and now the voyagers each became the center of a knot +of questioners as to the voyage.</p> +<p>Monsieur Teclier--as was natural--conversed with the Sous +Prefect and other leading men of the town, while their wives and +daughters gathered round the lads. Ralph had given his name as +Barclay, and had stated that Percy was his brother; but he had said +nothing as to their being in the army, as he wished to avoid the +oft-repeated tale which the declaration of his rank was sure to +necessitate. He had even said a word to Monsieur Teclier, begging +him to say the Messieurs Barclay, instead of Captains +Barclay--unless, of course, he were actually questioned upon the +matter. Percy was allowed to sit in an easy chair, unmolested--for +he was quite done up--and Ralph talked for both, relating many +details of their journey from Paris; and the ladies examined him +most minutely as to his sensation, and especially whether he was +not horribly frightened.</p> +<p>Among those standing in a group round the young Barclays was a +lieutenant of Mobiles; who evidently by no means approved of the +attention, and interest which they excited among the ladies; and +who had made several sarcastic remarks, during the course of the +narrative. Presently a servant came in and, walking up to Monsieur +Teclier, said that two swords had been picked up; had they fallen +from the balloon?</p> +<p>"Yes," Monsieur Teclier said, "they belong to those +gentlemen."</p> +<p>The servant came up to Ralph, and told him that the swords had +been picked up. Ralph at once drew out a five-franc piece, and +asked the servant to give it to the man who had found them.</p> +<p>"Ah," said the officer of Mobiles, with a scarcely concealed +sneer, "so you have come out from Paris to serve? I should have +imagined that there were plenty of opportunities to distinguish +yourselves, there. However, you must have had good interest, to get +places in a balloon."</p> +<p>"We have fair interest," Ralph said calmly, "as apparently you +have, yourself. Each of us have, you see, used our interest in the +way most pleasing to us. We have used ours to enable us to go with +the army in the field, instead of being forced to remain inactive +in Paris. You, upon your part, have used yours to get away from the +army in the field, and to remain inactive, here."</p> +<p>These words were spoken with such an air of boyish frankness, +and an apparent innocence of any desire to say anything unpleasant, +that everyone within hearing was ready to burst with laughter at +Ralph's hit--which happened to be thoroughly well deserved.</p> +<p>The officer turned white; and would have burst out into a +violent answer, had not a couple of friends at his elbow begged him +to restrain himself. The boy evidently meant nothing; besides, he +was only a boy, and what could be done with him? Besides which, +again, one of them put in, though he was only a boy, he looked an +awkward customer. This latter argument weighed more with the +lieutenant than any other.</p> +<p>Ralph was not yet seventeen, and looked much younger than a +French lad of the same age would do; but in point of size he was +considerably taller than the officer of Mobiles, and his broad +shoulders gave promise of unusual strength. There was, too, a look +of fearlessness and decision about his face which marked him +emphatically as an "awkward customer." Seeing this, the lieutenant +burst into a constrained fit of laughter; and said that it was +"very good--really very good, for a boy."</p> +<p>Everyone else was so occupied in the endeavor to stifle their +laughter that the lieutenant again took up the part of +questioner.</p> +<p>"I suppose, young gentleman, that you come from Saint Cyr or the +Polytechnic; although I should hardly imagine that you have +completed your studies, in either of them?"</p> +<p>"I have not the advantage of having been at either of the +military academies," Ralph said quietly. "Have you?"</p> +<p>Again there was a laugh and, by this time, most of those in the +room had gathered round.</p> +<p>"May I ask to which arm of the service you belong?" the officer +asked, with difficulty keeping his temper.</p> +<p>"You may ask, certainly; and I have no objection to answer," +Ralph said. "My brother and myself both belong to the general +staff."</p> +<p>The officer looked surprised.</p> +<p>"Have you served already, sir, or has your service yet to +commence?"</p> +<p>"I have seen some little service already," Ralph said.</p> +<p>"May I ask what general has had the benefit of your assistance?" +the lieutenant said, with an affectation of politeness.</p> +<p>At this moment the Sous Prefect pushed forward.</p> +<p>"Silence, sir!" he said to the officer. "There has been too much +of this. These gentlemen have performed a great service to France, +and are my guests; and I look upon it as a personal attack upon +myself."</p> +<p>"Excuse me, sir," Ralph said, rising from his seat for the first +time. "I am grateful to you, for your interference in my behalf; +but I can make no claim, upon the present occasion, to have +rendered any service to France. I had nothing to do with the +dispatches, nothing to do with the balloon. I came out as a +passenger, upon my private desire and pleasure, at the risk of +course of being killed. Undoubtedly I nearly was killed; and I look +upon the entertainment that you have given us as a kind +congratulation upon our not having broken our necks.</p> +<p>"Kindly, then, permit me to answer this officer for myself. I +think I can hold my own."</p> +<p>The Sous Prefect shrugged his shoulders; to signify that, in +that case, he washed his hands of the whole business.</p> +<p>"Now, sir," Ralph said, "I will answer the question. The general +upon whose staff my brother and myself served was General +Cambriels."</p> +<p>The officer shrugged his shoulders.</p> +<p>"Since that time," Ralph said, more sternly than he had yet +spoken, "my brother and myself have had the offer of posts upon the +staffs of General Trochu, General Ducrot, and General Vinoy."</p> +<p>"Oh, come now," the lieutenant said, with a laugh of derision, +"that is a little too strong. Imagine a scramble upon the part of +Trochu, Ducrot, and Vinoy for the services of these very young +officers."</p> +<p>This time the speaker had the laugh with him, for no one could +believe that Ralph could be speaking the truth. Ralph grew a little +pale.</p> +<p>"Monsieur Teclier," he said, "do me the favor to introduce my +brother and myself to this lieutenant of Mobiles, in due form."</p> +<p>The matter had now become so serious that there was a dead hush +in the room, while Monsieur Teclier advanced. He had once or twice +already made a motion of coming forward, to take Ralph's part; but +a motion from the latter had arrested him. He was aware of the +furore which the gallant and successful expedition of the Barclays +had created, in Paris; and he had been greatly struck and pleased +by the calmness of the boys in a great--and to them altogether +new--peril. He now advanced slowly.</p> +<p>"May I ask your name, sir, and regiment?" he said to the +officer.</p> +<p>"Lieutenant Desmaret, of the Mobiles of Vienne," the officer +said, frowning.</p> +<p>"Lieutenant Desmaret of the Mobiles of Vienne, I beg to +introduce you to--"</p> +<p>"No, sir," the officer said, passionately, "you introduce them +to me, not me to them. The inferior rank is introduced to the +superior."</p> +<p>"I know perfectly well what I am doing, sir, and require no +lesson from you," Monsieur Teclier said, quietly. "I repeat, I +introduce you--Lieutenant Desmaret, of the Mobiles of Vienne--to +Captain Ralph Barclay, and Captain Percy Barclay, staff officers, +and commanders of the legion of honor."</p> +<p>There was a dead silence of surprise throughout the room.</p> +<p>"Is it possible?" the Sous Prefect said, coming forward again, +"that these gentlemen are the Captains Barclay, of whom the Paris +papers--which we received three days since--were full, as having +passed through the German lines, and having swam the Seine at +night, under fire? They had previously been decorated for great +acts of bravery, in the Vosges; and were now made commanders of the +Legion.</p> +<p>"Is it possible that you are those officers, gentlemen?"</p> +<p>"It is so, monsieur," Ralph said. "We had the good fortune to +distinguish ourselves but, as we did not wish to make ourselves +conspicuous by new uniforms, and new ribbons, we have put aside our +uniforms until required for service; and asked Monsieur Teclier to +be silent upon the subject. Of course, we could not guess that, +upon our way, we should meet so rude and unmannerly a person as +Monsieur the Lieutenant of the Mobiles of Vienne."</p> +<p>The lieutenant stamped his feet furiously.</p> +<p>"You shall answer to me, sir," he said, "for this insult."</p> +<p>"Stop, sir," Ralph said, in a steady voice--which silenced those +who were about to interfere. "You have asked me questions, with +rare freedom. I have answered them. I am now going to give you my +opinion of you, and my advice to you, equally freely.</p> +<p>"If you mean, by what you have said, that you are going to +challenge me to a duel, I tell you at once that I shall not accept +it. I have, sir," and he raised his head proudly, "proved my +courage; and France has recognized it, in the rank and honor she +has given me. We English--for I am English--do not fight duels.</p> +<p>"But I will make an exception. When you, Monsieur Desmaret, come +to me decorated as I am; or having, in any signal way, proved your +courage and devotion to France, I will meet you. At present I see +that you--an officer in the French army, well in health--are +staying here in idleness, instead of being in the field. Go and +fight the enemies of France, first, Monsieur Desmaret; and after +that talk, if you like, about fighting her friends."</p> +<p>There was a loud exclamation of applause and satisfaction, at +these words, from those who had been looking on at this unpleasant +scene; and the Sous Prefect warmly shook Ralph by the hand.</p> +<p>"Well said, Captain Barclay; well said, indeed. I believe I may +say that everyone here agrees with you, entirely. There are too +many officers continually absent from the army upon 'private +affairs;' and those of Monsieur Desmaret have taken longer to +arrange than usual, for he has been staying here for five weeks +now.</p> +<p>"However," he said, significantly, "he will hardly prolong his +stay in the island.</p> +<p>"Enough upon that subject," he said, as Monsieur Desmaret left +the room, pale and furious. "I am glad--I am proud, sir--to make +the acquaintance of yourself and your brother; and I can really, at +heart, feel grateful to that fellow, for having forced you to +declare who you are. Had he not done so, you would have left +without our knowing that we had you among us."</p> +<p>There was now quite an ovation to the boys. The ladies, +especially, would hardly conceive that it was possible that these +quiet-looking young fellows had performed feats of such daring. +They now begged to hear the details of the adventures but, at this +moment, word was brought that steam was up, and the vessel ready to +start; and as Monsieur Teclier was most anxious to get on, and as +Percy was quite done up, Ralph was glad to seize the excuse, and to +make his apologies for leaving at once. The Sous Prefect, all the +breakfast party, and a large proportion of the population of the +little place accompanied them thence to the landing place; and +then, amidst hearty cheering, the little steamer--carrying the +voyagers, the dispatches, and the remains of the balloon--started +for the mainland.</p> +<h2><a name="Ch18" id="Ch18">Chapter 18</a>: A Day Of Victory.</h2> +<p>After traveling all night, the Barclays arrived at Tours at ten +o'clock, on the morning of the day after that upon which they had +left Belle Isle. At the station they said adieu to Monsieur +Teclier; who went at once to Gambetta, with the dispatches; while +the Barclays turned away to Colonel Tempe's lodgings and, to their +great surprise as well as delight, found him in.</p> +<p>The colonel gave quite a shout of joy, when he saw them.</p> +<p>"Ah, my brave boys, my brave boys, I am glad to see you," and he +took them in his arms, and kissed them as heartily and as earnestly +as if he had been their father.</p> +<p>"I am glad to see you," he repeated, wiping his eyes with his +handkerchief. "I was sure you would do it. I never really +doubted--I told Gambetta it was as good as done--but I could not +help being nervous, horribly nervous; and when the news came, five +days ago, by the balloon which left three days after you got in, I +almost lost my head. I laughed, I cheered, I shook everyone by the +hand--ma foi, I don't know what I did, I was so pleased.</p> +<p>"Your Irishman was the funniest thing. He was not surprised, or +pleased, or even interested. I explained to him over and over +again, thinking he did not understand; but he only shook his head +and said, in his strange English:</p> +<p>"'Sure, colonel, I never doubted them for a moment. Aren't they +clever enough to decaive the ould gintleman, himself? It was as +sartin as peas is peas that they would slip in, somehow; and if +they did get into a scrape, that they were the boys for getting +themselves out of it. It's the coming out I am afraid of.'</p> +<p>"I looked surprised, naturally enough, and he went on:</p> +<p>"'And doesn't your honor know that they are talking of coming +out in a balloon? Only to think of it, colonel, flying through the +clouds, shut up in a big ball of silk! It's just flying in the face +of Providence. What's the use of scheming, or of courage? You can't +decaive a cloud, though it's as aisy as dancing to take in a +German. When you tell me, colonel, that they're safe out of the +balloon; then I'll shout, as loud as you like.'</p> +<p>"Yesterday, when the telegram from Teclier came--saying that he +had fallen in Belle Isle, had had a narrow escape of being driven +into the sea, but had avoided that by running the risk of breaking +his neck--and mentioned that you were with him; and had, like +himself, escaped with a few bruises, Tim went nearly out of his +mind with joy. He has been cleaning his sword and accouterments, +this morning.</p> +<p>"I am off tomorrow, and you are only just come in time to see +the fighting.</p> +<p>"But you are looking ill, Percy; far too ill for service, just +at present."</p> +<p>"Yes, he has been very ill," Ralph said. "He had a touch of +brain fever, the night we got into Paris; and was delirious for two +days. He has picked up quickly, but that balloon descent was not +the thing for an invalid. The doctor in Paris ordered a month, at +least, of absolute rest; and has given him a sick certificate."</p> +<p>"He needs rest, certainly," Colonel Tempe said, "but he cannot +go home, at present. The Prussians hold Dijon in considerable +strength. There are far too many people in the town who have heard +of your connection with the franc tireurs. Some spy or other would +be certain to peach."</p> +<p>"Yes," Ralph assented, "we have been talking it over, and quite +agree that Percy could not go back as--although he would willingly +run the risk, himself--it would bring such serious consequences +upon them at home, if he were found there, that he has determined +to go down to Nice for a while, and rejoin as soon as he gains +strength again."</p> +<p>"Yes," Colonel Tempe said, "but above all things, do not let him +be in a hurry.</p> +<p>"You have gone through an immense deal, Percy; and have done a +great deal more than your share for France, and have gained great +honor and credit. Be content with that. You might ruin your +constitution for life, by further exertions."</p> +<p>"But about yourself colonel, where are you going?"</p> +<p>"I am starting, tomorrow, to join General Chanzy's staff."</p> +<p>"I have not heard his name before," Ralph said.</p> +<p>"He commands the Sixteenth Corps. He has not had much +opportunity yet, but he is a good soldier. If you like, Ralph, I +will go with you at once, to Freysinet, and get you attached with +me."</p> +<p>"Thank you very much, colonel. I should like it of all +things."</p> +<p>"Come along, then; Freysinet is in his office."</p> +<p>Percy accompanied them, to obtain a signature to his leave of +absence, and left next day for the south. An hour later, Colonel +Tempe and Ralph were in the train, upon their way to Orleans--Tim, +again in his hussar uniform, and half wild with delight--being, +with Colonel Tempe's orderly, in charge of the horses.</p> +<p>Colonel Tempe, as Ralph was not mounted, had offered to lend him +one of his own; but Ralph had refused it, unless the colonel would +sell it, as he said he should be always afraid of getting the +animal shot, unless it was his own. Seeing that Ralph was +determined upon this score, the colonel had reluctantly agreed to +take the sum he had paid for the horse. Ralph's only other purchase +in Tours was a fur greatcoat.</p> +<p>"And now, colonel," Ralph said, when the train had started, "we +have time to talk--tell me, what chances have we of success?"</p> +<p>"Between ourselves, Barclay," Colonel Tempe said, "I do not +think that our prospects are brilliant. In my opinion, Aurelles de +Paladine--or rather Gambetta, for it was he who ordered the +advance--made an immense mistake in attacking Von der Tann when he +did. Of course, he drove him back, and took Orleans; but what was +the use of that? Absolutely nothing. He was not strong enough to +push his advantage; but the movement served to draw the attention +of the Germans to his force, and Prince Frederick Charles--who was +marching south from Metz--has been hurried towards Orleans, and has +now united his forces with those of Von der Tann and the Duke of +Mecklenburg; so that, although we have received large +reinforcements--for the whole of the army of the east is up, +now--the Germans have been equally reinforced, and are quite as +strong as we are.</p> +<p>"We ought never to have attacked, until we were ready to follow +up our advantage at once. It was nothing short of madness; yet what +can you expect, with a civilian acting as commander-in-chief? I +believe that we shall make a tough fight of it, but I can hardly +hope that our new levies can prove a match for the veterans of +Frederick Charles."</p> +<p>"When do we begin, do you think?"</p> +<p>"In two or three days at latest. You have not seen a great +battle yet, Barclay."</p> +<p>"No," Ralph said, "nor shall I see much of it, now; for the +country is so perfectly flat that it will be impossible to get +anything like a general view of it. Do you know, colonel, I feel a +good deal more comfortable than I did during my last journey +between Tours and Orleans; for although I thought that we should +manage, somehow, to get through into Paris; still, I could not +conceal from myself that it was a very serious undertaking.</p> +<p>"How bitterly cold it is."</p> +<p>"It is, indeed," Colonel Tempe assented. "Being upon the staff +we shall, no doubt, manage to get a roof of some sort over our +heads; but for the sentries it must be terrible. The tents +d'abri--if the men can scrape away the snow, and get an armful of +straw to lie on--are snug enough; the men lie close together, and +share their blankets."</p> +<p>Half an hour after arriving at Orleans, Colonel Tempe and Ralph +were riding out upon the north road; followed by Tim Doyle, and the +colonel's orderly. The frost was keen, but the afternoon was bright +and clear; and as they cantered along the road--beaten flat and +hard, with the enormous traffic--their spirits rose, and Ralph +regretted that Percy was not there to share in his enjoyments.</p> +<p>Colonel Tempe shook his head when the wish was mentioned.</p> +<p>"No, no, Barclay, it is far better as it is. You are young +enough, in all conscience, for this iron work of war; your brother +has done far more than a man's share already, and will find it +difficult enough to go back as a schoolboy. He has escaped thus +far, almost by a miracle; but he was looking shaken, and worn. I am +glad that he is not here."</p> +<p>Three hours' riding took them to the little village near which +General Chanzy was quartered. The Sixteenth Corps lay to the left +of the French army, facing the Germans; who held the line of +villages of Guillonville, Terminiers, and Conier. It was already +dark when they arrived. The general's quarters were in a chateau, a +quarter of a mile distant from the village. When they reached it, +they were at once shown in; and found General Chanzy leaning over a +map, which he was trying to examine by the light of a solitary +candle.</p> +<p>"How are you, colonel?" he asked, shaking hands with him +heartily--for they were old friends. "I am very glad you have come. +There is plenty to do, and few to do it; at least, very few indeed +who know anything about their work.</p> +<p>"Who have you here?"</p> +<p>"Allow me to introduce Captain Barclay, general. Freysinet has +attached him to your staff. He served with me in the Vosges, +distinguished himself greatly, and won his lieutenancy and the +Cross. Since then he has been into Paris. No doubt you saw the +account of his swimming the Seine, with his brother."</p> +<p>"Of course, of course," General Chanzy said, warmly. "I am very +glad to have you with me, Captain Barclay. You will not be long +before you are at work, for the affair is just beginning. I have +just got news that there has been some sharp fighting, today, at +Beaurre la Rolande."</p> +<p>"With what results, sir?" Colonel Tempe asked.</p> +<p>"We gained a great deal of ground, in the morning," General +Chanzy said; "but they brought up reinforcements, and no material +advantage is claimed.</p> +<p>"And now," the general went on, "as to quarters, you must shift +for yourselves. Beds are out of the question; but you will find +some empty rooms upstairs and, fortunately, there is a little straw +in the stable. The outhouses are extensive, and you will be able to +get your horses under shelter. I should advise you to see about +them, at once. In an hour we shall have something to eat. I cannot +call it dining.</p> +<p>"Captain Barclay, will you kindly see to these matters? I shall +be glad to go through this map, at once, with Colonel Tempe."</p> +<p>Ralph at once obeyed the order, much pleased with his new +commander. General Chanzy was a man to inspire confidence in all +those who served under his orders. He was a young man, for a +general; but was very bald, and had a quiet and thoughtful air +which made him look older than he was. He was a man of few words; +and had a sharp, steady look which seemed to master, at once, the +important points of anything that was said to him. When he smiled, +the whole of his face seemed to light up.</p> +<p>"Just the man to serve under," Ralph thought to himself. "Cool, +self possessed, and with an eye that will see a weak point in a +moment.</p> +<p>"Is my orderly still at the door?" he asked a soldier in the +passage.</p> +<p>"Yes, sir; two orderlies, with the four horses."</p> +<p>"Can you get me a light of any sort?" Ralph asked. "I want to go +round to the stables, and get the horses somewhere in shelter."</p> +<p>"I will get you a lantern, sir," the man said. "But I fear that +you will find the place all crowded; but of course, you can turn +some of them out."</p> +<p>The orderly accompanied Ralph, with a lantern, across the yard; +Tim and Colonel Tempe's orderly following. Round the yard were many +cavalry horses, tied to pegs; driven in close by the wall of the +stables, so as to give them some little shelter from the intense +cold. The poor animals stood, side touching side, for warmth.</p> +<p>The orderly opened the door of one of the stables; and Ralph +entered, and looked round by the light of the lantern. The horses +were ranged together in the stalls, as closely as they could stand; +while the rest of the area was completely covered with cavalry +soldiers, some sitting up smoking and talking, others already +wrapped in their cloaks and stretched at full length.</p> +<p>A sergeant, seeing the marks of Ralph's rank, at once rose to +his feet and saluted.</p> +<p>"I have two horses here, sergeant; my own, and one of Colonel +Tempe's. General Chanzy told me I should find room here, but it +does not look like it."</p> +<p>"I will turn two of these horses out, sir," the sergeant +said.</p> +<p>"Is there no other place?" Ralph asked.</p> +<p>"They are all as full as this, sir."</p> +<p>"There is a little shed, down at the end of the garden," one of +the men said. "I noticed it this afternoon. The door was locked. I +looked in, and it seemed a cow shed. I don't know whether anyone is +there. I will go down with you, sir, and show you the way, if you +like."</p> +<p>The shed was soon found, and the soldier forced the door open +with his sword bayonet. The place had, as he supposed, been a cow +shed; but the walls and roof were in good order, and the ground +hard.</p> +<p>"This will do first rate, your honor," Tim said. "There is room +for all four horses, if they squeeze a bit; and for Jacques here, +and myself. I suppose, your honor, there will be no harm in +knocking up some of this woodwork, to make a bit of a fire? It's +too dark to look for sticks, tonight; and they would be so damp, +from the snow, that the smoke would choke the bastes entirely--to +say nothing of us."</p> +<p>"Well, under the circumstances, Tim, I agree with you; but don't +do more damage than you can help, and only make enough fire to make +the water hot for coffee, and so on. You will be warm enough, here, +with the four horses. You must go and see if you can get them some +forage."</p> +<p>"But how about your honor's and the colonel's dinner?" Tim +asked. "I haven't drawn rations; but I have got plenty of bread and +meat, in the haversack. I got them at Tours, for I thought there +wouldn't be much to be had here."</p> +<p>"Thank you for thinking of it, Tim, but we dine with the +general. When you have got the horses comfortable, and lit your +fire, one of you bring up our cloaks to the house. Keep the horses' +saddles on, with loosened girths. We may want them suddenly, at any +moment of the night."</p> +<p>The next morning, General Chanzy said to Ralph:</p> +<p>"I should recommend you, Captain Barclay, to spend an hour +studying this map; and getting up, from these lists, the exact +position of our forces. When you think you have mastered them, ride +through the whole of the positions occupied by the corps and, +without exposing yourself, gain as good an idea as you can of the +country beyond. Tomorrow you may have to ride straight to certain +points, with orders; and it may save important time if you are +thoroughly acquainted with the ground, and position."</p> +<p>After a couple of hours' study of the staff map, so as to know +every little by-lane and hamlet, for ten miles on either side, +Ralph mounted his horse and went for a long ride. When he returned, +Colonel Tempe told him that General Chanzy was gone over to General +D'Aurelle's quarters, to arrange the details; and that the attack +was to take place the next day.</p> +<p>At five o'clock the general returned; and Colonel Tempe and the +chief of his staff were occupied with him, for two hours, in +drawing up the specific orders for each corps. Colonel Tempe had +not been out, all day; and he therefore offered his horse to Ralph, +in order that Ralph's own might be fresh for the next day.</p> +<p>Four staff officers set off in various directions with the +dispatches; and Ralph congratulated himself upon having been upon +the ground he was now traversing once before that day as, even with +that previous acquaintance, it was hard work to find the way +through the darkness, from the snow altering the general appearance +and apparent distance of each object. Thanks, however, to his ride +of the morning, he reached the various corps to which he was +dispatched without any serious mistakes in his way; and got back to +headquarters by eleven o'clock.</p> +<p>Tim was waiting up for him.</p> +<p>"Sure, your honor, and it's a mighty cold night. I've got a pot +of coffee on the boil in the stables."</p> +<p>"Thank you, Tim. I will just go in and make my report to the +general, and then go off to bed. Bring the coffee into my room. We +shall be up early, for we fight tomorrow."</p> +<p>"Do we, now?" Tim said, admiringly. "And it's about time; for we +should be all frozen into skeletons, if we were to wait here doing +nothing much longer. Bad luck to the weather, says I."</p> +<p>At ten o'clock the next morning the French troops were in +motion, the objects of their attack being the villages of +Guillonville, Terminiers, and Conier. The country was extremely +flat and, for an hour, they saw no bodies of the enemy. A few +videttes, only, were seen. These galloped off hastily, the moment +they caught sight of the heavy masses of the French debouching from +the wood. Ralph was riding, with the rest of the staff, behind the +general.</p> +<p>"That is Terminiers," Colonel Tempe said, pointing to a house or +two at a distance, on the plain.</p> +<p>As he spoke, a puff of smoke came from the houses.</p> +<p>"There is the first shell," was the general exclamation.</p> +<p>In another instant the missile burst near some infantry, at two +hundred yards to the right.</p> +<p>"Take orders to that battery, there, to take position on that +little eminence to the left there, Captain Barclay. Tell them to +keep the guns a little back among the trees, and to open sharply +upon Terminiers."</p> +<p>It was just twelve o'clock now and, in five minutes, there was a +roar of cannon along the whole length of both lines. For half an +hour the combat continued a mere artillery duel. The shells fell in +all directions; cutting the dry branches from the trees, tearing up +the ground, and leaving deep black gashes in the white snow; +crashing through a wall or, occasionally, exploding among the +troops.</p> +<p>"Their fire is slackening a little," General Chanzy said. "It is +time to be pushing forward.</p> +<p>"Lieutenant Porcet, take my orders to the colonel of that +regiment of Mobiles to advance at once, covered by skirmishers.</p> +<p>"Captain Barclay, order that Line regiment to support.</p> +<p>"Captain Maillot, order the artillery to concentrate their fire +upon the village, and to advance by batteries."</p> +<p>The orders were carried out, and the Mobiles advanced to within +five hundred yards of the village. The musketry fire was now +tremendous, and the Mobiles wavered. The Germans were entrenched in +the gardens and walled enclosures of the village. Every wall, every +house was loopholed; and rough barricades had been erected, to fill +up the breaks in the walls.</p> +<p>General Chanzy was sitting on horseback, a short distance in the +rear of the fighting. Mounted officers rode up and left again, +every moment, with news of the battle going on near the other +villages.</p> +<p>"Ride up and order the Mobiles to lie down, Captain Barclay; +then tell the colonel of the Line to bring his troops up in line +with them. Let them lie down, also.</p> +<p>"Tempe, have the two reserve batteries of artillery brought up, +at full speed, to silence that battery in the wood to the left of +the village. Its fire crosses the ground we have to pass over."</p> +<p>Ten minutes more of continuous cannonading, and then it was +apparent that the Prussian fire was weakening.</p> +<p>"Now, Barclay, tell them to charge, at the double."</p> +<p>Ralph set spurs to his horse but, just as he reached the troops, +a shell exploded just under his horse. Ralph heard a crash; felt a +shock, and a whirling through the air; and then fell heavily upon +the ground. Believing he was dangerously wounded, he made no effort +to get to his feet; but sat up and shouted to the colonel of the +Mobiles, who were not thirty yards from him:</p> +<p>"The Mobiles and Line are to charge, at the double, and to carry +the village with the bayonet."</p> +<p>The Mobiles had flinched a little before, as they had advanced +with the deadly fire of shot and shell; but they did not flinch +now, and leaping upon their feet, with a cry of "Vive la France!" +the Mobiles and Line soldiers literally made a race of it for the +village.</p> +<p>Ralph, after having given his message, lay back again, with a +sort of bewildered sensation. A minute afterwards he heard a rapid +galloping; and Colonel Tempe rode up, followed by Tim Doyle.</p> +<p>"Are you badly hurt, my dear boy?" the former exclaimed, as he +leaped from his horse. "The general himself asked me to come, and +see after you."</p> +<p>"I don't quite know, colonel," Ralph answered. "I feel, at +present, as if my head was knocked in, and my legs shot off."</p> +<p>"You had a tremendous shake," said Colonel Tempe--who was, with +Tim, by this time kneeling beside him--"and your horse is blown +almost to pieces; but I don't think, as far as I can see, at +present, that you are hit anywhere. Here, take a sip of brandy. It +will bring you round; you are stunned a little, you know.</p> +<p>"There, you are better now," he said; as Ralph, having drunk a +little brandy, sat up and looked round.</p> +<p>"I am all right, I think, colonel; don't stay any longer. Tim +will wait here. I don't think I was stunned, else I could not have +given the order. No, I imagine I had a near escape of breaking my +neck.</p> +<p>"Please, don't wait. I shall be all right again, in five +minutes. I will take Tim's horse, and join you again. Tim will pick +up a musket--there are plenty about--and do a little fighting on +his own account."</p> +<p>Colonel Tempe jumped on his horse, and rode off. In a minute or +two, Ralph was able to mount Tim's horse, and ride slowly up to the +village, where a heavy musketry fire was still going on; but as no +shell or shot were now coming in the direction in which Ralph was, +it was evident that the French had taken the position, and had +opened fire upon the retreating Germans. The fight still raged, +both to the right and left; but in another quarter of an hour it +slackened also, here, and the three villages were all in the hands +of the French.</p> +<p>In a quarter of an hour, Ralph felt quite himself again and, +seeing one of his fellow staff officers gallop up, he asked him +where he could find the general.</p> +<p>"He is at Guillonville. But he will be here, in a few minutes. +The advance is to continue. We are to carry the villages of +Monneville, Villepani, and Faverolles."</p> +<p>In half an hour, the troops were again moved forward; but this +time the resistance was more obstinate than before, the Prussians +having received reinforcements. Hour after hour the fight +continued. The short winter day faded, and the gathering darkness +was favorable to the assailants and, at half-past five, they +carried the villages by assault.</p> +<p>The scene was a wild one. It was perfectly dark, save from the +incessant flashes of rifle and cannon. In the streets of the +village men fought, hand to hand. Some of the Germans, taking +refuge in the houses, refused to surrender. Others threw down their +arms, and cried for quarter. Shouts, screams, curses, cheers, the +explosion of firearms and the clash of steel mingled, in one wild +and confusing din. When it ceased, the village remained in the +hands of the French; and the Prussians retreated, sullenly, into +the darkness.</p> +<p>There was no rest for the staff, for hours--they were galloping +about, carrying orders--but at last Ralph returned to Villepani, at +which village General Chanzy had his headquarters. At the door of +the cottage which was pointed out, as that in which the general +was, Tim was waiting.</p> +<p>"Faith, your honor, if this is war, I've had enough of it."</p> +<p>"What is it, Tim?"</p> +<p>"What is it, your honor! Here have we been fighting all day, and +not a blessed thing to eat or to drink. No one knows what became of +the wagons; and here we are, without as much as a biscuit to +ate--and in such weather as this, too; and another battle in the +morning."</p> +<p>"Ay, Tim, it's bad enough, but think of the thousands of poor +fellows lying wounded, and freezing to death, on the snow."</p> +<p>"I do think of them, Mister Ralph; and I've been at work, ever +since we got in here, carrying the poor creatures in from the +gardens and fields. There is not a house here that's not full, from +the top to the bottom.</p> +<p>"Have you lost the wallet off my saddle, your honor?"</p> +<p>"No, Tim; why should I do that?"</p> +<p>"I don't know why you should, sir, but I have been making up my +mind that you would, all along; either that you would have had it +shot off, or that you'd throw it away to aise the horse. Now, we +shall do."</p> +<p>"Why, what's in the wallet, Tim?"</p> +<p>"Just a big chunk of bread, your honor It was left on the table +when you had breakfast, this morning; and I said to myself, it may +be useful before night, and so just slipped it into the +wallet."</p> +<p>In another minute the bread was taken out, and cut into two +portions.</p> +<p>"I would not eat it all tonight, Tim, if I were you," Ralph +said. "It is not by any means too large for supper, but a mouthful +in the morning will be a great comfort. I suppose there is no +chance of getting anything for the horse?"</p> +<p>"Trust me, your honor One of the first things I did, when the +firing was over, was to pop into a stable and to get a big armful +of hay; and take it out and hide it away, under a hedge. It was +lucky I did; for the minute afterwards we could not have got a +handful, if we had offered a Napoleon for it."</p> +<p>"Where are you going to sleep, Tim?"</p> +<p>"Under that same hedge, Mister Ralph. The horse always lies +down; and he's so tired he won't break the rule, tonight; so I'll +give him half the hay for his supper and, when he's laid down, I'll +put the rest between him and the hedge, and roll myself up in my +cloak and--what with the cloak, and the horse, and the hedge, and +the hay, not to mention the supper--I shall be as warm as a lord; +and it's a comfort to think that there will be something to eat, +both for the baste and myself, in the morning."</p> +<p>"Well, good night then, Tim."</p> +<p>"Good night, your honor."</p> +<p>If Tim Doyle slept, there were not many of his comrades that +did, on that night. The cold was fierce, in the extreme; and those +who could obtain wood of any kind made fires, and crouched over +them. Others lay on the ground, and huddled together for warmth. +Others dragged their feet wearily backwards and forwards. Many and +deep were the curses poured out upon the intendance--or +commissariat--whose utter incompetence, throughout the war, was one +of the great reasons of the continuous bad fortune of the +French.</p> +<p>When Ralph entered the room, he was saluted by a variety of +voices. The only light was a dim lantern. The room was half full of +officers; some dozing in corners, others sitting round the table, +smoking.</p> +<p>"Where is the general?"</p> +<p>"He has got a room, about half the size of this, for the use of +himself, Tempe, and the chief of the staff. They are writing; and +will go on writing all night, I expect. These are the only two +rooms not full of wounded in the whole village.</p> +<p>"You had a narrow escape, today. We have had our share of +casualties. Poor Maillet and Porcet are both killed, and we have +three wounded. Were you hurt at all?"</p> +<p>"No," Ralph said; "but I was tremendously shaken, and feel stiff +all over. I will lie down by the wall, here, and get a few hours' +sleep."</p> +<p>And so ended the 1st of December.</p> +<h2><a name="Ch19" id="Ch19">Chapter 19</a>: Down At Last.</h2> +<p>At half-past eight o'clock the next morning horsemen came +dashing in, with the news that the Germans were advancing in force. +Stiff--many half frozen, and half starved--it was an absolute +relief, to the men, to have some break to the monotony of cold and +hunger. They were already assembled under arms and, in a few +minutes, the artillery upon both sides was at work.</p> +<p>"I fear you will see that we shall be beaten, today," Colonel +Tempe said to Ralph as they mounted. "The men are worn out with +hunger; disgusted at the wretched mismanagement, which sends them +into a battle without having had food for twenty-four hours, and +with no prospect whatever of it for another twenty-four. Besides, +we ought to have been reinforced.</p> +<p>"Our line is too long, Ralph. There is neither direction nor +management."</p> +<p>For a time the French held their position well, against the +tremendous artillery fire which was maintained upon them. +Gradually, however, the Germans pushed their heavy masses of troops +forwards; and the French reserves had already been brought up.</p> +<p>Several of the mobile regiments showed signs of wavering. +General Chanzy rode backwards and forwards along the front of the +position; exposing himself recklessly, in order to give courage and +confidence to his men. Cigar after cigar he smoked, as tranquilly +as if sitting in an armchair, a hundred miles away from the din of +battle. At last, after exchanging a few words with the generals of +brigade, he called Ralph--who happened to be the only aide-de-camp +unemployed--up to him.</p> +<p>"Captain Barclay," he said, "ride at once to General Sonis. Tell +him that my division--not having received the promised +reinforcements--must fall back. He has already sent, to say he is +hard pressed. Ask him to hold his ground, if possible, for another +half hour; by which time I shall have fallen back towards the +position I left yesterday morning--but will draw rather to my +right, so as to keep our connections nearer, and to afford him +help, if necessary."</p> +<p>Without a word Ralph turned his horse, and galloped off at full +speed. A quarter of an hour's riding, and he rode up to General +Sonis; who was just calling upon several regiments, among whom were +the Papal Zouaves, to make a charge.</p> +<p>This fine body of men--the Papal Zouaves--acquired, and justly +acquired, more glory than any other French corps throughout the +war. They behaved, upon every occasion, magnificently. In the first +fight at Orleans, upon this 2nd of December, and afterwards at the +battle of Le Mans, the Zouaves of Charette fought with the courage +of lions. A great many of them were men of good family. All were +inspired by the ardor and spirit of their chief. Their uniform was +similar in cut to that of the French Zouaves; but was of a quiet +gray color, trimmed with a little red braid.</p> +<p>Ralph rode up, and delivered his message.</p> +<p>"I am going to carry that position, sir," the general said; "and +in that case I shall not have to fall back at all, and General +Chanzy can close up on me--throwing back his left, so as not to be +outflanked. If you wait a few minutes, you will see the result of +this charge.</p> +<p>"Now, gentlemen."</p> +<p>So saying he rode, with his staff, in front of the line.</p> +<p>"Forward, men!" he shouted, drawing his sword.</p> +<p>Ralph had naturally fallen in with the staff, and was now able +to see and admire the daring of the proposed movement which, if +successful, would have changed the fortunes of the day. Upon an +eminence, some three-quarters of a mile distant, were several +batteries of artillery; supported by a large body of infantry, who +extended to within about half the distance between the French line +and their own reserves. The fire was terrific--so terrific that +several of the French regiments refused to advance. Others started; +but withered away so fast, under the deadly fire, that only two +corps--besides the Zouaves--persevered to the end.</p> +<p>The Zouaves advanced at a double, but with as much coolness as +if on parade. They did not fire a shot, but made straight at the +Prussian infantry. As they approached the enemy's line, General +Sonis and his staff fell in between the Zouaves, and a regiment of +Mobiles next to them, in order not to interfere with the fire.</p> +<p>"For God and France!" Charette shouted, as he led the charge; +and the whole regiment responded, as one man, "For God and +France!"</p> +<p>So fierce was this onslaught that the Prussian infantry refused +to face it, and fell back upon their supports. Still the Zouaves +rushed on, and again the Prussians fell back; but the assault was +growing more and more hopeless. The Zouaves were unsupported, save +by a few hundred men. The other regiments were far in the rear. The +shot and shell were mowing lanes through them. An army was in +front.</p> +<p>At last, they halted. Colonel Charette marched on in front, +waving his sword. General Sonis, with his staff, again rode +forward. It was heroic, but it was heroic madness.</p> +<p>Again the Zouaves advanced. Again a storm of shell poured upon +them, and then a regiment of German cavalry swept down. There was a +crash. Charette and his officers disappeared, beneath the hoofs of +the cavalry. General Sonis and his staff went down like straw +before them; but the Zouaves stood firm, fired a volley into them; +and then-- having lost eight hundred men, in that desperate attempt +to retrieve the fortunes of the day--the remainder retreated, +sullenly, with their faces to the foe.</p> +<p>Ralph Barclay, when the cavalry swept upon them, had shot the +first two of his foes with his revolver; and had then been cut down +by a tall German dragoon, just at the moment that his horse fell +dead, shot through the head. Ralph had a momentary vision of +gleaming hoofs above him; and then he remembered nothing more, +until he came to himself, hours afterwards.</p> +<p>His first sensation was that of intense cold. He endeavored to +rise, but was powerless to move hand or foot. He lay quiet for a +few minutes; and then made another effort, but with a similar want +of success. This time, however, he felt that his limbs would have +moved, had they not been fastened down by some weight.</p> +<p>He now concentrated all his strength upon one arm. It yielded +suddenly and, when it was free, he was able to turn partly round, +so as to feel what it was that had confined it. He found that his +own blood, and that of the horse, had frozen his arm fast to the +ground. It required a considerable effort before he could get +altogether free, for he was stiff with the cold. Putting his sword +up to his head, he found that he had been saved by the very means +which were now giving him so much pain. The intense cold had frozen +the blood, as it flowed; and stanched it more effectively than any +surgeon could have done.</p> +<p>Ralph--after rubbing his hands and arms, to restore +circulation--now endeavored, by the remains of twilight, to see +where he was, and how he had been saved. His horse lay next to him, +and almost covering him. The poor animal had fallen on to its back; +or had rolled over, afterwards and, in the latter case, it was +fortunate indeed, for Ralph, that it had not taken another half +turn. Had it done so, it would have crushed him to death. As it +was, it had reached to within an inch or two of him; partly +concealing him from sight, protecting him from the cold, and also +greatly diminishing his chance of being trampled upon by cavalry +passing over.</p> +<p>A short distance off, Ralph could see parties with lanterns; and +one of them seemed approaching. Far in his rear, he could hear an +occasional shot; and it rushed across his mind, at once, that the +French had been defeated, and were falling back upon Orleans. These +lights, therefore, must be in the hands of Germans.</p> +<p>The thought that a German prison awaited him roused Ralph from +his inactivity. It flashed across his mind that, as he had escaped +before, they would take care and give him but little chance of +escaping again and--although stiff, and bruised from head to foot; +half frozen, and faint from loss of blood--the hope of liberty +roused him to new exertion. With some effort, he got at the holster +of his pistol; in which was a flask of strong brandy and water +which, though icy cold, had yet a sensibly warming influence. The +lights were still at some distance off; and Ralph, after +considerable trouble, and after cutting the straps which fastened +it to the saddle, succeeded in getting at his fur overcoat. This he +put on, picked up the cap of one of the German troopers who had +fallen near, and then walked slowly away, over the deserted battle +ground.</p> +<p>Ten minutes later, he heard a horse's hoofs upon the hard +ground. He cocked the pistol--which had remained fastened to his +belt, when he fell--pulled forward the German soldier's cap, and +walked quietly on.</p> +<p>"Who goes there?" shouted a voice, and two German officers rode +up.</p> +<p>It was far too dark, now, to distinguish faces.</p> +<p>"Karl Zimmerman, of the Seventh Dragoons," Ralph said, in +German, saluting.</p> +<p>"What are you doing here?"</p> +<p>"I am servant to Lieutenant Falchen, who fell today; and I had +been to look for his body. It was somewhere about here, when we +charged the gray Zouaves."</p> +<p>"But your regiment is miles off," one of the officers said. "I +saw them an hour ago."</p> +<p>"I don't know where they are, sir," Ralph said, "for I had my +head laid open, with a sword bayonet, just as I was cutting down +the man I had seen shoot my master. I was carried to the rear, but +the surgeon had gone on; and my wound stopped of itself and, when I +reached the hospital, the doctors were so busy that I asked leave +to go, and see if I could find my master."</p> +<p>"Where are the ambulances now?" one of the officers asked, as +they turned to ride off.</p> +<p>"Over in that direction. Look, sir, there are some of the +searchers, with lanterns. They will direct you, at once."</p> +<p>"Thanks," the officer said, riding off; "good luck in your +search."</p> +<p>Ralph had noticed a cottage, standing by itself at the edge of a +wood, at some little distance from the bivouac of the night of the +30th of November; and had stopped for a moment, and asked a few +questions of the woman who lived there. She had appeared a +kind-hearted woman, full of hatred for the invader; and had two +sons in the Mobiles, who had marched north when Paris was first +threatened, and who were now besieged there. For this cottage Ralph +determined to make, in order--if the owners would receive him--to +take shelter in the house; otherwise, to find a refuge in the wood, +itself, where he doubted not that they would assist him to lie hid +for a few days. He had no great fear of a very active search being +made for fugitives, at present, as the Prussians had only driven +back two divisions of the French army; and had, Ralph believed, +plenty of work on their hands, for some time.</p> +<p>It was fortunate for Ralph that he had studied the ground so +carefully; for he soon came upon the road, and the stars--which +were shining brightly--gave him his direction and bearings. The +battle had extended over the whole of this ground. Many times Ralph +could hear groans; and saw, in places, dark forms thickly scattered +over the ground--showing where a stand had been made, or where a +regiment had lain exposed, for hours, to an artillery fire.</p> +<p>The distance was considerable to the place Ralph had marked out +for himself. Eight miles, at least, he thought; for it was away +behind what had, two days before, been Chanzy's left. It was, in +Ralph's state of feebleness, a very long journey. Over and over +again, he had to sit down and rest. He did not feel the cold, now; +the fur coat, and the exertion of walking, kept his body in a glow. +He took great pains, however, not to exert himself, so as to make +himself too hot; as he feared that his wound might break out, if he +did so. He was fully twelve hours upon the road; and daylight was +just breaking in the east when--exhausted by hunger, fatigue, and +loss of blood--he crawled up to the door, and knocked.</p> +<p>There was a movement inside, but it was not until he had knocked +twice that a voice within asked:</p> +<p>"Who is there?"</p> +<p>"A wounded officer," Ralph said.</p> +<p>There was a whispered talk, inside.</p> +<p>"Let me in, my friends," he said, "for the remembrance of your +boys in Paris. There is no danger to you in doing so as, if the +Germans come, you have only to say you have a wounded officer. I +can pay you well."</p> +<p>"We don't care for pay," the woman of the house said; opening +the door, with a candle in her hand--and then falling back, with a +cry of horror, at the object before her: a man, tottering with +fatigue, and with his face a perfect mask of stiffened blood.</p> +<p>"You do not remember me," Ralph said. "I am the captain of the +staff who chatted to you, two days ago, about your boys in +Paris."</p> +<p>"Poor boy!" the woman said, compassionately. "Come in.</p> +<p>"Monsieur will pardon me," she went on, apologetically, "for +speaking so, but I called you the boy captain, when I was telling +my good man what a bright--</p> +<p>"But there, what you want now is rest, and food. The question is +where to put you. We may be searched, at any time; though it's not +likely that we shall be, for a few days. The battle has gone away +in the direction of Orleans, and we have not seen half a dozen men +since I saw you, two days ago.</p> +<p>"The first thing is to give you something warm. You are half +frozen. Sit down for a few minutes. I will soon make a blaze."</p> +<p>Ralph sank down--utterly exhausted and worn out--in the settle +by the fireplace; and fell into a half doze, while the woman lit a +bright fire on the hearth. In a few minutes she had drawn some +liquor from the pot-au-feu--the soup pot--which stands by the +fireside of every French peasant, however poor; and into which all +the odds and ends of the household are thrown. This liquor she put +into a smaller pot; broke some bread into it, added an onion--which +she chopped up while it was warming--together with a little pepper +and salt and, in ten minutes from the time of Ralph's entry, she +placed a bowl of this mixture, smoking hot, before him.</p> +<p>At first, he seemed too exhausted to eat; but gradually his +appetite returned, and he finished off the hot broth.</p> +<p>"What shall I do to your wound, sir?" the woman said. "It is a +terrible sight, at present."</p> +<p>"It is the cold which saved my life, I fancy," Ralph said, "by +stopping the bleeding; but now it wants bathing in warm water, for +some time, and then bandaging.</p> +<p>"But where are you going to put me?"</p> +<p>"In the boys' room, upstairs, sir. It is just as they left +it."</p> +<p>"I have no doubt it is very comfortable," Ralph said, "but all +this country is certain to be scoured, by the enemy's cavalry. I do +not want to be taken prisoner; and rather than that I would go and +live out in the woods, and only crawl here, once a day, for some +food."</p> +<p>The husband had now come downstairs and, as he aided his wife to +first bathe and then bandage the wound, they talked over the +matter; and agreed that Ralph could be hid in a loft over a shed, a +hundred yards from the house, and very much concealed in the woods, +without much fear of discovery. The farmer at once started to make +the place as comfortable as he could; and the wife followed with a +couple of blankets, a quarter of an hour later.</p> +<p>Ralph, by this time, could scarcely crawl along. The fever +consequent upon the wound, the fatigue, and the cold made his head +throb so terribly that he could scarcely hold it up and, had it not +been for the assistance of the farmer's wife, he could not have +crawled across the short distance to the shed. The loft was low and +small and, when the wooden shutter of the window--or rather +opening, for it was unglazed--was closed, it was lighted only by +the light which came in at the crevices. The shed was altogether of +wood; so that the shutter--which happened to be at its back--would +scarcely have been noticed while, from the shed being high and the +loft very low, anyone inside would scarcely have suspected the +existence of any loft, at all. It was reached by a ladder and trap +door.</p> +<p>The farmer assisted Ralph up the ladder. The shutter was open, +and Ralph saw that the farmer had made a bed of straw, upon which +his wife was spreading one of the blankets. Ralph now took off his +uniform, and lay down; and was covered first by the other blanket, +and then with his own fur-lined coat. The farmer's wife had +thoughtfully brought a pillow with her; and Ralph in a few minutes +was lying in what--had it not been for the pain of his wound--would +have been intense comfort, after the cold and fatigue. His hostess +went away, and returned with a large jug of water and a glass, +which she put down within reach of his arm.</p> +<p>"There is nothing else you want?" she asked.</p> +<p>"Nothing, thank you, except to sleep," Ralph said.</p> +<p>"I shall shut this shutter," the farmer said. "Enough light will +come through the cracks to see well, when your eyes get accustomed +to the darkness. I shall shut the trap close down after me, as I +go, and lift down the ladder. It is very light, and my wife can +easily put it into its place again. We will come and see you again, +in the afternoon. Goodbye."</p> +<p>"Goodbye," Ralph answered, faintly; and before the sound of +their footsteps had died away, he fell into a sort of feverish +doze.</p> +<p>For a time he turned uneasily, muttered incoherent words, and +moved his hands restlessly. Soon, however, the effects of the cloth +soaked in icy-cold water, which the farmer's wife had placed on the +bandages over the wound, began to subdue the feverish heat; and in +half an hour he was sleeping soundly, and quietly. He woke at last, +with a flash of light in his face and, opening his eyes, saw the +good woman again bending over him.</p> +<p>"I am glad," were her first words. "I thought, for a moment, you +were dead."</p> +<p>"No, no," Ralph said, with a faint smile; "a long way from that, +yet. My sleep has done me a world of good. What o'clock is it?"</p> +<p>"Nine o'clock," his hostess said. "I could not come before, for +I have had several parties going past, and the house was searched +once. I kept on wondering whether you wanted me, until I nearly +worked myself into a fever."</p> +<p>"Thank you," Ralph said. "I have been all the better for being +allowed to sleep on. I have had nearly thirteen hours of it. I feel +queer, about the head; but otherwise I feel all right.</p> +<p>"I am terribly thirsty."</p> +<p>"I have got nothing but water to offer you," the woman said. +"The Germans drank the last drop of our wine up, months ago. But I +had a few apples; and I have roasted them, and put them in this jug +of water. It will give it a taste, and is good for fever.</p> +<p>"In this jug is some herb tea, which you must drink when you +feel feverish.</p> +<p>"And now, do you feel as if you could eat some broth?"</p> +<p>"That I do," Ralph said.</p> +<p>His hostess put her arm under him, and raised him up into a +sitting posture; in which she retained him by kneeling down beside +him, and holding him up as if he had been a child. Then she gave +him a basin of bread broth, and a drink of water; shook up his +pillow, arranged the things over him; and put a fresh cloth, dipped +in water, on his head.</p> +<p>"Here is a box of matches," she said, "and here is the water and +herb tea, in reach of your arm. You're not cold, are you?"</p> +<p>"No, thank you," Ralph said, "and in spite of the sleep I have +had, I feel as if I could go off again till morning, +comfortably."</p> +<p>"Be patient, if I am late," the woman said. "I will come as soon +as I can. If I am late, you will know that there are Germans +about."</p> +<p>Ralph's idea of his capacity for sleep turned out correct. It +was still dark when he woke but, striking a match, he found that it +was nearly seven o'clock. He at once blew out the match, felt for +the apple water, took a drink, and then nestled down deep into the +fur coat.</p> +<p>"It will be getting light in another hour," he said to himself. +"It's awfully cold, too; but I am better off, here, than I should +be in the field. I hope she will be here soon; I want to know if +she has any news. Well, there is only an hour to lay awake," and, +almost as he murmured the words, Ralph dropped off again, and slept +until ten o'clock.</p> +<p>This time, he woke with the slight creaking which the trap door +made.</p> +<p>"How are you today, Monsieur le Capitaine?" his hostess +said.</p> +<p>"I am getting on capitally, thanks to your care," Ralph said. +"And what have you there?"</p> +<p>"Your breakfast and some plaster. My husband started, yesterday +evening, to walk to the doctor, who lives twelve miles off. He told +him all about you; but the doctor would not come, himself. However, +he sent word that the wound was to be washed well, twice a day, +with warm water; and that a little lint is to be laid in it each +time, after the bathing and, when the inflammation ceases to look +angry, I am to draw the edges together as closely as I can, and +strap them together with these strips of plaster."</p> +<p>"It is very kind of your husband," Ralph said, "very kind. Did +the doctor say how long I should be, before I could be about +again?"</p> +<p>"No," the woman said. "Jacques asked him, but he said that he +could not say without seeing the wound, and examining you. Jacques +described its position: coming down from the back of the head, +taking off just a little bit of the top of the ear, and then ending +on the cheekbone. He said that Monsieur le Capitaine must have a +head as thick as a wall, or it would have killed him."</p> +<p>Ralph smiled, and his hostess set to work to carry out her +instructions.</p> +<p>"Shall I take away your uniform and hide it away so that, in +case the enemy search and find you, they will have no proof against +you?"</p> +<p>"No, no," Ralph said; "the uniform shows I am not a franc +tireur; and so will prevent my being hung, and you having your +house burnt over your head. Besides which, I should be entitled to +be treated as an officer. My uniform is the best protection for us +all.</p> +<p>"Have you any news of what is going on?"</p> +<p>"We heard firing yesterday," the woman said, "and today we can +hear a constant booming, from the direction of Orleans."</p> +<p>Ralph listened, but the bandage prevented his hearing +anything.</p> +<p>"You are very kind," he said, "but you can hardly think how I +want to be off. However, I fear that I am here for a week, at the +very least. Just think what I am missing."</p> +<p>"It seems to me," the woman said, "you are missing a great many +chances of being killed; which I should consider to be a very +fortunate miss, indeed. I should not like Jacques to have that gash +on the head; but I would a great deal rather that he was lying here +wounded, just as you are, than to know that he was in the middle of +all that fighting at Orleans.</p> +<p>"Be patient, my friend. We will do our best for you. If you have +no fever, tomorrow, Jacques will try and buy some meat and some +wine for you, at one of the villages; and then you will soon get +quite strong."</p> +<p>When Ralph had eaten his breakfast, he again laid down; and his +kind hostess left him, as her husband was obliged to be out and at +work, and it was necessary that she should be at home, to answer +any straggling troops of the enemy who might pass.</p> +<p>"I wish I had Tim with me," Ralph said, to himself. "Tim would +amuse me, and make me laugh. It would be desperately cold for him. +I am all right, under my blanket and this warm coat. Well, I +suppose I must try to sleep as many hours away as I can."</p> +<h2><a name="Ch20" id="Ch20">Chapter 20</a>: Crossing The Lines.</h2> +<p>Ralph was destined to a longer stay upon his hay bed in the loft +than he had anticipated. The next day, instead of being better he +was a good deal worse. Inflammation had again set in, and he was +feverish and incoherent in his talk. He was conscious of this, +himself, by seeing the dismay in the face of the nurse, when he had +been rambling on to her for some time, in English.</p> +<p>At last, with an effort, he commanded his attention, and said to +her:</p> +<p>"How far is it from here to Orleans?"</p> +<p>"Seventeen miles," she said.</p> +<p>"Look here," he said, "you are very kind, and I know that you do +not want to be paid for your kindness; but I am well off, and I +know you have lost your horse and cow, and so you must let me pay +you for what you do for me.</p> +<p>"I am afraid I am going to have fever. I want your husband to go +into Orleans. The Prussians went in yesterday, you say; and so your +husband will not have to cross any outposts to get there. There is +an English ambulance there. I will write a line in pencil; and I am +sure they will give him some fever medicine, and anything else I +may require. Please feel in the breast pocket of my coat; you will +find a pocket book, with a pencil in it."</p> +<p>The woman did as he told her; and Ralph, with a great effort, +wrote:</p> +<p>"I am an Englishman, though a captain in the French service. I +am wounded with a saber, in the head; and am sheltered in a loft. +Inflammation has set in and, I fear, fever. I am obliged, indeed, +to make a great effort to master it sufficiently to write this. +Please send some fever medicine, by the bearer, and some arrowroot. +A lemon or two would be a great blessing.</p> +<p>"Ralph Barclay."</p> +<p>He then tore out the leaf, folded, and directed it to the head +of the English ambulance, Orleans.</p> +<p>"How is he to know the English ambulance?"</p> +<p>"It has a red cross on a white ground, as all the others have; +and an English flag--that is, a flag with red and white stripes +going from corner to corner, and crossing each other in the middle. +But anyone will tell him."</p> +<p>"I am sure he will set out at once," the woman said, and left +the loft.</p> +<p>In ten minutes she returned.</p> +<p>"He has started," she said, "but not to Orleans. My husband, +directly I gave him the message, said that he had heard that there +was an English ambulance at Terminiers, attending to the wounded +picked up on the battlefield. It is only five miles from here."</p> +<p>"Thank God for that," Ralph said.</p> +<p>Three hours later the farmer returned, with a bottle of +medicine, some arrowroot, lemons, a bottle of wine, some Liebig's +essence of meat--for making broth--and a message that the English +surgeon would ride over, as soon as he could get away. The farmer +had given him detailed instructions for finding the house; but was +afraid of stopping to act as his guide as, had he been seen walking +by the side of the surgeon's horse, the suspicions of any German +they might encounter would be at once excited.</p> +<p>The surgeon arrived an hour later, and was at once taken to +Ralph's bedside. Ralph, however, could not speak to, or even +recognize the presence of his countryman; for he was in a high +state of fever. The surgeon examined his wound carefully.</p> +<p>"I think he will get over it," he said, to the farmer's wife. +"It is a nasty cut; but there is nothing dangerous in the wound, +itself. It is the general shock to the system, together with the +hardships and suffering he had gone through. He is a mere boy--not +above seventeen or eighteen. He says in his note he is a captain, +but it can hardly be so."</p> +<p>"He is a captain, sir. There is his uniform hanging up."</p> +<p>"Yes," the surgeon said, "that is the uniform of a captain in +the staff, and he has got the commander's button of the legion of +honor. I wonder who he can be.</p> +<p>"Ralph Barclay," he said thoughtfully, looking at the pencil +note Ralph had sent him. "Ah, now I remember the name. I thought it +was familiar to me. This is the young Englishman who made his way +through the lines into Paris, with dispatches He is a fine young +fellow. We must do what we can for him."</p> +<p>"Could you take him into your hospital, sir?" the woman +asked.</p> +<p>"He will be better where he is, if you will continue to nurse +him."</p> +<p>"Yes, I will do that; but I thought he would be so much better +looked after, in the hospital."</p> +<p>"No," the surgeon said, "that is just what he would not be. +Every room is literally crowded with wounded; and wounds do +infinitely better in fresh, pure air, like this, than in a room +with a close atmosphere, and other bad wounds.</p> +<p>"The fever medicine I sent over will last him for some days. I +have brought over a tin of little biscuits. Give him the fever +medicine, every two hours, until there is a change; and whenever +you can get him to take it, give him a little broth made of a +spoonful of the essence of meat in a liter of boiling water or, for +a change, some arrowroot. I will show you how to make it, when we +get back to the house.</p> +<p>"Can you manage to stay with him? He will want a good deal of +looking after, for the next two days."</p> +<p>"Yes, sir, I was talking to Jacques about it, today. He will go +over to the next village--it is only a mile away--and will fetch my +sister, who lives there, to keep house for a bit."</p> +<p>"That is capital," the surgeon said. "And now, watch attentively +how I put this bandage on; and do it the same way, once a day. When +you have put the bandage on, you must put wet cloths to his head, +as long as he remains delirious. I am awfully busy; but I will ride +over again, in three or four days, to see how he is getting on.</p> +<p>"By the way, it may be an advantage to you if I give you a +paper, signed by me, to say that you are taking care of a wounded +French officer at my request as--although you wished to send him to +the ambulance--I refused because, in the first place, he could not +bear moving; and in the second, the ambulance was as full as it +could possibly hold. That will clear you, in case any German +parties come along and find him."</p> +<p>It was a week before Ralph opened his eyes with any +consciousness of what he saw. He looked round, with a vague +wonderment as to where he was. In a minute or two, a look of +recognition came into his face. Looking round, he saw that there +were changes. A small piece had been sawn out of the shutter, so as +to let in air and light while it remained closed. A table and a +chair were beside his bed. In a corner of the loft was a small flat +stove, with a few embers glowing upon it, and a saucepan standing +upon them. Upon the opposite side of the loft to that where he was +lying was a heap of hay, similar to his own; with a figure, rolled +up in a blanket, lying on it.</p> +<p>For some time, Ralph thought all this over in the vague, +wondering way peculiar to people recovering from a long illness. +Most, he puzzled over the occupant of the other bed; and at last +concluded that it was some fugitive, like himself. For some time he +lay and watched the figure until, presently, it moved, threw off +the blanket and rose and, to his surprise, he saw that it was his +nurse.</p> +<p>"Thanks to all the saints!" she exclaimed, when she saw him +looking at her. "You are better, at last. I think that I was +asleep, too. But you were sleeping so quiet, that I thought I would +take a nap; for I was so sleepy."</p> +<p>"How long have I been here?" Ralph asked.</p> +<p>"Just a week, from the time the fever took you. The English +doctor came over and saw you, and sent lots of things for you, and +said you were not to be left; so I had the bed made up here, and my +sister came over to take care of Jacques. And now, you must not +talk any more. Drink this broth, and then go off to sleep +again."</p> +<p>Ralph complied. He was too tired and weak to ask any more +questions, and it was not until next day that he heard of the +obstinate battles which General Chanzy had fought--on the 7th, 8th, +and 10th--near Beauguency.</p> +<p>"Thank goodness," Ralph said, "we can't have been very badly +beaten, if we were able to fight three drawn battles within about +twenty miles of a first defeat."</p> +<p>For the next two days, Ralph improved in health. Then he had a +relapse, and was very ill, for some days. Then he began, steadily +but slowly, to gain strength. It was three weeks after his arrival +at the cottage before he could walk, another week before he had +recovered his strength sufficiently to think of moving.</p> +<p>One of his first anxieties--after recovering consciousness after +his first, and longest, attack of fever--had been upon the subject +of the terrible anxiety which they must be feeling, at home, +respecting him. They would have heard, from Colonel Tempe, that he +was missing and, as he would have been seen to fall, it was +probable that he was reported as dead. Ralph's only consolation was +that, as the Germans were at Dijon, the communication would be very +slow, and uncertain; and although it was now ten days since the +engagement, it was possible--if he could but get a letter sent, at +once--that they would get it nearly, if not quite as quickly as the +one from Colonel Tempe; especially if as was very probable the +colonel would be a great deal too engaged, during the week's +tremendous fighting which succeeded the day upon which Ralph was +wounded, for him to be able to write letters.</p> +<p>The first time that he saw the English surgeon, he mentioned +this anxiety, and the doctor at once offered to take charge of a +letter; and to forward it with his own, in the military post bag, +to the headquarters of the ambulance at Versailles, together with a +note to the head of the ambulance there, begging him to get it sent +on in the first bag for Dijon. In this way, it would arrive at its +destination within four or five days, at most, of its leaving +Orleans.</p> +<p>It was on the 2nd of January--exactly a month from the date of +the fight in which he was wounded--that, after very many thanks to +his kind host and hostess, and after forcing a handsome present +upon them, Ralph started--in a peasant's dress which had been +bought for him--for Orleans. He had still plenty of money with him; +for he had drawn the reward, of fifty thousand francs, in Paris. +The greater portion of this money he had paid into the hands of a +banker, at Tours, but Percy and he had kept out a hundred pounds +each; knowing by experience how useful it is, in case of being +taken prisoner, to have plenty of money. Ralph's wound was still +bound up with plaster, and to conceal it a rabbit-skin cap with +flaps had been bought so that, by letting down the flaps and tying +them under the chin, the greater part of the cheeks were +covered.</p> +<p>The farmer had made inquiries among his neighbors and, finding +one who was going into Orleans, with a horse and cart, he had asked +him to give Ralph a lift to that place. The start had been effected +early, and it was three o'clock when they drove into Orleans. Here +Ralph shook hands with his driver--who wished him a safe journey +home--and strolled leisurely down the streets.</p> +<p>Orleans presented a miserable aspect. The inhabitants kept +themselves shut up in their houses, as much as possible. The bishop +was kept a prisoner, by the Prussians, in his own palace; troops +were quartered in every house; the inhabitants were, for the most +part, in a state of poverty; and the shops would have been all +shut, had not the Prussians ordered them to be kept open. The +streets were thronged with German troops, and long trains of carts +were on their way through, with provisions for the army. These +carts were requisitioned from the peasantry, and were frequently +taken immense distances from home; the owner--or driver, if the +owner was rich enough to pay one--being obliged to accompany +them.</p> +<p>Many were the sad scenes witnessed in these convoys. The grief +of a father dragged away, not knowing what would become of his wife +and children, during his absence. The anguish of a laborer at +seeing his horse fall dead with fatigue, knowing well that he had +no means of taking his cart home again; and that he had nothing to +do but to return to his home, and tell his wife that the horse and +cart--which constituted his sole wealth--were gone.</p> +<p>Ralph waited until, late in the afternoon, he saw a long train +halt by one of the bridges. It was evidently intending to cross, +the next morning, and go down south. In a short time the horses +were taken out, and fastened by halters to the carts; two or three +soldiers took up their posts as sentries, and the drivers were +suffered to leave--the Germans knowing that there was no chance of +their deserting, and leaving their horses and carts.</p> +<p>The poor fellows dispersed through the town. Those who had any +money bought food. Those who had not, begged; for the Germans +allowed them no rations, and left them to shift for themselves--or +starve--as they liked. Ralph joined in conversation with a group of +these, who were relating their hardships to two or three +sympathetic listeners. An old man, especially, was almost +heartbroken. His wife was dying, and he had been forced from her +bedside.</p> +<p>"What could I do?" he asked, pitifully. "I was a carrier. My +horse and cart were all I had in the world. If I had not gone with +them they were lost for ever. What was I to do?"</p> +<p>No one could answer him but, when the party had broken up, Ralph +went up to him.</p> +<p>"How much are your horse and cart worth?" he asked.</p> +<p>"The horse is worth five hundred francs," he said. "The cart is +an old one--two hundred and fifty would pay for it. It is not much, +you see, but it is all I have."</p> +<p>"Look here, old man," Ralph said, "I am not what I look. I am a +French officer, and I want to get down near the Prussian outposts, +but without passes I could not get on. Besides I have been wounded, +and am too weak to walk far. I will give you the seven hundred and +fifty francs which are the value of your horse and cart, and will +take your place as driver; so that you can start back, at once, to +your wife. Do you agree?"</p> +<p>The old man was so affected with joy that he burst into +tears.</p> +<p>"God bless you, sir," he said. "You have saved my life, and my +poor wife's life, too."</p> +<p>"Very well, it is a bargain, then," Ralph said. "Here is half +the money. You shall have the rest tomorrow.</p> +<p>"Now you must go with me tomorrow morning, at the hour for +starting; and tell the officer in charge that I am a nephew of +yours--living here, but out of work, at present--and that you have +arranged with me to drive the cart, as long as it's wanted, and +then to take it home again."</p> +<p>After a few more words, the peasant took him back and showed him +his cart; in order that he might know where to find him, in the +morning.</p> +<p>"We start at daybreak," he said, "so you had better be here by +half-past six."</p> +<p>"Where do you sleep?" Ralph asked.</p> +<p>"I? Oh, I don't sleep much. I lie down for a bit, underneath the +carts; and then walk about to warm myself."</p> +<p>"Take this warm fur coat of mine," Ralph said. "It will keep you +warm tonight, anyhow. I shan't want it; I shall get a bed +somewhere."</p> +<p>The coat was the one Ralph had worn on his night walk, after +being wounded. He had had all the braid, and the fur of the collar +and cuffs taken off; and had had it purposely dirtied, so that it +was no longer a garment which could attract attention, on the back +of a man with a cart.</p> +<p>After some difficulty, Ralph got a bed; and was at the agreed +place at the appointed time. The old man went up to the Prussian +sergeant in command, and told the tale Ralph had dictated to him. +The sergeant agreed to the arrangement, with a brief nod. The old +man handed Ralph his whip, and returned him the fur coat; which +Ralph was glad enough to put on, for the morning was bitterly cold, +and Ralph--enfeebled by his illness--felt it keenly. In another +five minutes, the carts were in motion across the bridge, and then +away due south.</p> +<p>For half an hour Ralph walked by the side of his cart +and--being, by that time, thoroughly warm--he jumped up in the cart +and rode, during the rest of the day; getting down and walking--for +a short time only--when he found his feet getting numbed with the +cold.</p> +<p>In the afternoon they arrived at La Ferte, some fifteen miles +from Orleans. There they remained for the night. There were not +very many troops here, and Ralph could have obtained a bed by +paying well for it; but he feared to attract attention by the +possession of unusual funds and, therefore, slept in a hay loft; +afraid, in spite of his fur coat, to sleep in the open air.</p> +<p>The next morning the train was divided, twenty of the carts +going down towards Romorantin; while the rest--now fifteen in +number--kept on towards Salbris. Ralph's cart formed part of this +latter division. The night after they left La Ferte, they halted at +La Motte Beuvron, where there was a strong force of Germans. The +following day only four carts continued their route to Salbris, +Ralph happening again to be among them. He had regretted two days +before that he had not formed part of the division for Romorantin, +as from that place he would have been less than twenty miles from +Tours, which the Prussians had not yet entered; but as he had the +good fortune to go on to Salbris, he did not mind--as Salbris, like +Romorantin, was one of the most advanced stations.</p> +<p>They arrived late in the afternoon, and the carts were at once +unloaded. The sergeant in charge told them to wait, while he got +their papers for them; and in ten minutes he returned.</p> +<p>"You will have tomorrow to rest your horses, and the next day a +train will start for the north. Your work is over now, as there is +nothing to go back. Here are the passes for you, saying that you +have carried goods down here for the army; and are therefore to +return back, without your carts being further requisitioned."</p> +<p>Ralph put up his horse and cart for an hour in the village, +while he went to search for some farm house upon which no Prussian +soldiers were quartered. He was unable, for some time, to find one; +but at last, over a mile from the town, he found a small place +which had escaped the attention of the Prussian quartermaster, and +where there was a small, unoccupied stable. Ralph soon struck a +bargain with its owner; returned to Salbris, mounted his cart, +drove out; and was soon settled in the little farm house.</p> +<p>He anticipated no great difficulty in passing out through the +outposts; as there was no French force of any importance, near, and +the German troops interfered but little with the movements of the +country people. The affair, however, turned out more easy than he +had anticipated for, towards morning, he was awoke by the distant +sound of bugles.</p> +<p>"Something is up," he said to himself; "either a French attack, +a general advance, or a recall. If it should be the latter, I am in +luck."</p> +<p>It turned out to be as Ralph hoped. The peasant in whose house +he was stopping went into Salbris, early; and came back with the +news that there was no longer a German there. Orders had come for +them to fall back, towards Orleans.</p> +<p>"I am not at all surprised," Ralph said, when he heard it, "for +Orleans was emptying fast of troops. This sudden march of Bourbaki +for the east, and the necessity to reinforce Frederick Charles, +near Vendome must try even Prussian resources to the utmost."</p> +<p>Half an hour later, Ralph was jogging along on his way to +Vierzon. There he found that the railway was open to Bourges, from +which town he should have no difficulty in getting on to Dijon. He +soon found a purchaser for his horse and cart, at ten pounds, and +the next morning started on his way home.</p> +<h2><a name="Ch21" id="Ch21">Chapter 21</a>: Home.</h2> +<p>It was a long journey from Vierzon to Dijon. At Bourges Ralph +had taken advantage of a delay of some hours--necessitated by the +fact that no train was going--to get some suitable clothes, instead +of the peasant's suit in which he had traversed the lines. He had, +of course, brought his papers with him; so that he had no +difficulty, whatever, in getting on by the train. But the train +itself made but slow work of it. Bourbaki had passed west only the +week before, with all his army, upon his march to the relief of +Belfort; and the railway was completely choked. However, Ralph was +not inclined to grumble at the cause of his delay; for it was only +upon Bourbaki's approach that the Germans had evacuated +Dijon--which was now held by Garibaldi's irregulars, and a +considerable force of Mobiles.</p> +<p>So great were the delays that it was evening when the train +reached Dijon. Ralph had scarcely stepped out on to the platform +when Percy bounded upon him, and threw his arms round his neck.</p> +<p>"Dear, dear old Ralph! Thank God you are back again."</p> +<p>"My dear Percy, where did you spring from?"</p> +<p>"I have been home five days. I was still down at Marseilles, +when I heard that Dijon was open again; and I came straight up.</p> +<p>"And how are you, Ralph?"</p> +<p>"Oh, I am getting all right again. How are they all, at +home?"</p> +<p>"Well--quite well--but dreadfully anxious about you."</p> +<p>By this time the boys were out of the station, and were walking +homeward.</p> +<p>"But you have not told me how you happened to be at the +station."</p> +<p>"Well, I was waiting there, just on the chance of seeing you. +Mamma was so dreadfully anxious about you that I wanted to do +something. At any rate, I could not sit quiet at home. There are +never more than two trains with passengers in a day, sometimes only +one; so I have been staying down in the town, most of the days +since I came home--having paid one of the railway people to send me +word, directly the train was telegraphed as starting from +Dole."</p> +<p>"How long is it since my letter arrived?"</p> +<p>"Nearly three weeks, Ralph; fortunately it came four or five +days before a letter from Tempe, saying that he feared you were +killed. Not having heard again, they were terribly anxious."</p> +<p>"I had no means of writing," Ralph said. "The English +ambulance--through whom my letter was sent--moved down to Vendome, +the very day after I wrote; and I had no other way of sending my +letter."</p> +<p>"I said it was something of that sort. I pointed out to them +that it was evident, by what you said, that the fever had passed +off, and that you only wanted strength; but that being in hiding, +of course, you could not write. I gave you three weeks to get +strong enough to start, and four or five days to manage to get +through the lines; so that by my calculation you were just due, +when you arrived.</p> +<p>"It has pulled you down, Ralph, very much. I wish I had been +there to nurse you."</p> +<p>"Thank you, Percy. Fortunately I did fall into very good hands, +and was well looked after. I hope papa has not been over anxious +about me?"</p> +<p>"I think he has been nervous, Ralph; but he did not show it, but +talked cheerfully to keep up mamma and Milly."</p> +<p>"And are you quite strong again, Percy?"</p> +<p>"Yes, I think I am nearly as strong as ever, Ralph.</p> +<p>"There, we are just at the house, now. You had better wait +outside; while I go in and let them know, gradually, that you are +home. I came in like a fool, suddenly, and mamma fainted--she says +for the first time in her life--and Milly went into hysterics, and +cried and laughed so wildly that you might have heard her in Dijon. +She frightened me nearly out of my senses."</p> +<p>Ralph remained, accordingly, outside the door; while Percy went +in alone. The others had finished tea.</p> +<p>"You are a little late, Percy," Mrs. Barclay said. "We gave you +twenty minutes' law. It is not the least matter, your being late; +but I do not think it is wise to be out, these bitter nights, until +you are quite strong."</p> +<p>"I am quite strong, mamma, as strong as ever," Percy laughed; +but his laugh was, in spite of himself, a little unnatural.</p> +<p>His father looked sharply up.</p> +<p>Percy sat down, and drank a little of the tea his mother handed +to him.</p> +<p>"I waited for the train to come in," he said, "and--of course it +may not be so--but I heard of someone who, by the description, +seemed to be Ralph."</p> +<p>"What was it, Percy, what was it?" Milly cried; while her mother +gazed at him with a pale face, and appealing eyes.</p> +<p>"Don't agitate yourself, mamma dear--you see, it may not be +true, after all--but among the people in the train was one who had +come straight from Bourges. I spoke to him, and he said that he had +heard--by a friend who had come straight from Vierzon--that a young +officer had just arrived there, in disguise; who had been wounded, +and in hiding, ever since the capture of Orleans. You know, mamma, +it is just the time I calculated he would be coming; and from the +fact of his being a young staff officer, and in disguise, I have +very little doubt it is Ralph."</p> +<p>Captain Barclay rose from his seat and--standing for a moment +behind his wife's chair--looked at Percy, and then at the door, +inquiringly. Percy nodded.</p> +<p>Captain Barclay leaned over, and kissed his wife</p> +<p>"Thank God, dear, for all His mercies! Another day or two, and +we shall be having him home."</p> +<p>"Thank God, indeed!" Mrs. Barclay said; "but though I +hope--though I try to think it was him--perhaps it was not, +perhaps--"</p> +<p>"No, mamma," Percy said, "from some particulars he gave, and +from what he said, I feel almost sure--I may say I am quite +sure--it is Ralph. I would not say so, you know, unless I felt very +certain."</p> +<p>Mrs. Barclay felt that he would not, and fell into her husband's +arms, crying softly with happiness.</p> +<p>Milly was no longer in the room. She had caught the glance +between her father and Percy, and had rightly interpreted it. She +had risen to her feet, but a warning gesture from Captain Barclay +had checked the cry of gladness on her lips; and she had stolen +quietly from the room, closed the door noiselessly, had flown to +the front door and out into the road beyond, and was now crying +happily in Ralph's arms.</p> +<p>"And when do you think he can get here, Richard?" Mrs. Barclay +asked her husband.</p> +<p>"Soon, dear--quite soon," he answered. "He may come tomorrow. He +would be certain to come almost as quickly as the news."</p> +<p>"Oh, how happy I am!" Mrs. Barclay said. "Thank God for His +mercies! To think that, tomorrow, I may have both my boys back +again."</p> +<p>"Will there be another train in, tonight, Percy?" Captain +Barclay asked.</p> +<p>"Quite possibly," Percy said; "indeed, indeed,"--and he +hesitated--"you see, I walked up fast; it is just possible that he +may have arrived by this train."</p> +<p>Mrs. Barclay understood now.</p> +<p>"He is come," she exclaimed, looking up. "I know it, now."</p> +<p>Captain Barclay took her up in his arms.</p> +<p>"You can bear it, can't you, Melanie? Yes, dear, he has +come."</p> +<p>Percy saw that it was safe now. He went to the door, and opened +it. Ralph was standing outside, in readiness; and in another moment +his mother was in his arms.</p> +<p>Later in the evening, Captain Barclay said to Ralph:</p> +<p>"I suppose tomorrow you will obtain a medical certificate, and +write to General Chanzy: saying that you are alive, but unable to +rejoin?"</p> +<p>"Yes," Ralph answered, "I suppose that will be the best plan. I +must have a month's rest."</p> +<p>"That means, my dear boy, that you will not have to go out any +more. Another month will see the end of the struggle--or at any +rate, if the end has not absolutely arrived, it will be +unmistakable.</p> +<p>"The game is, I am convinced, altogether lost. A fortnight ago, +I had still hope. Chanzy and Bourbaki had each an army, nearly or +quite equal to that of Prince Frederick Charles. He could not +attack one in force, without leaving the road to Paris open to the +other.</p> +<p>"Bourbaki has come upon this mad expedition to the east; and you +will see Prince Frederick Charles will throw his whole strength +upon Chanzy, crush him, and then attend to Bourbaki. Bourbaki may +relieve Belfort, but in that corner of France what is he to do? +Prussian reinforcements are coming down to Werder, every day. +Troops are marching on this town from Paris and, if Bourbaki is not +wonderfully quick, we shall have another Sedan here.</p> +<p>"After the defeat of these, the last two armies of France, it +would be madness to continue the war. Paris must surrender, for +there would be no further possibility of relief; and there would be +no advantage, whatever, in enduring further sufferings.</p> +<p>"No, my boys, I said 'Go' when I thought that there was a +possibility of saving France. You have done your duty--more than +your duty. It would be worse than folly--it would be wickedness--to +voluntarily put your lives into danger, when success has ceased to +be possible. I should be the last man to hinder you from what was +your duty. I said 'Go' before, when few fathers would have said so. +I would say 'Go' again, now, if your duty called you; but as you +can both obtain sick leave, for another six weeks, I say take that +leave. Do not do more than your duty, for heroism is now of no use +to France."</p> +<p>"I agree with you altogether, papa," Ralph said. "I have seen, +and had, quite enough fighting for my lifetime. Of course, if the +war goes on Percy and I, as officers, must return to our duty, but +I am willing to obtain all the sick leave I can get; for although I +still believe in the individual bravery of the French soldiers, I +am quite convinced that it is altogether out of the question +that--with their want of organization, want of generals, want of +officers, want of discipline, want of everything--they can drive +out the magnificent armies of Germany.</p> +<p>"Has Percy got his leave extended?"</p> +<p>"Yes," Percy said; "I am fairly well, but I am still shaky. I +have not quite got over that swim; and the surgeon said, without my +applying for it, that I must have prolonged rest so, at the end of +the month, he extended it for two months longer.</p> +<p>"I thoroughly agree with you both. We have had quite enough of +it. We shall always have the satisfaction that we did our duty to +France, and our rank; and these ribbons,"--and he touched the +rosette of the legion of honor, in his buttonhole--"will prove that +we have distinguished ourselves. We have had great good fortune, +hitherto; it might turn, next time."</p> +<p>And so it was settled that the boys should remain at home, for +the next two months; by which time they agreed, with their father, +the resistance would be fairly worn out. Ralph wrote to General +Chanzy, relating the whole circumstances of his absence. General +Chanzy wrote in reply--in spite of the demands upon his +time--saying how pleased he was that Ralph had escaped, as he had +quite given him up. He ended his note by saying that he had already +mentioned his name, in dispatches, and should now make a fresh +report.</p> +<p>Colonel Tempe--or rather General Tempe, for he now commanded a +brigade--wrote also to congratulate him. One portion of his letter +contained bad news; for he mentioned that Tim had lost an arm, at +the battle of the 8th December, but that he was now doing well.</p> +<p>Those were exciting days at Dijon. The news of the victory at +Villersexel, followed by the fighting which ended in the capture of +Montbeliard; and then the obstinate contests near Belfort, when +Bourbaki in vain endeavored to drive back the Germans, and to +relieve the besieged town--all this kept the excitement up, at +fever heat.</p> +<p>It was not fated that the war should end without the boys seeing +service once more for, upon the 21st, heavy firing was heard upon +the northwest of Dijon. The Barclays' house was on the southwest of +the town. Upon the northwest the ground rises in two steep +hills--or rather one steep hill, with two summits about a mile +apart. One of these summits is called Talant, the other Fontaine +les Dijon. Behind the latter, and upon even higher ground--at a +distance of two and three miles, respectively--lay the villages of +Daix and Hauteville.</p> +<p>It was about ten o'clock in the morning that the boys heard the +faint boom of a cannon.</p> +<p>"Listen, papa," Percy shouted; "there are cannon. The Prussians +are attacking the heights, on the other side."</p> +<p>Captain Barclay came out into the garden, and listened for a +while with them. The enemy had taken up positions upon some of the +numerous heights surrounding, and were playing upon the batteries +at Talant, Fontaine les Dijon, Daix, and Hauteville. The French +replied vigorously; and it was evident that they were stronger, in +artillery, than were the enemy.</p> +<p>"I fancy," Captain Barclay said, "that it is no attack. It is +merely, I think, a fire opened to occupy our attention; in order +that a body of troops may pass along to the northward of Dijon, to +fall upon Bourbaki's rear. However, my place is with my company of +national guards. There is no fear of an attack, at present; but +they will get under arms no doubt."</p> +<p>"We will go down into the town with you, papa."</p> +<p>The firing continued until five o'clock, when it gradually died +away, the Germans retiring. An hour later, the greater portion of +the troops marched back to the town. The enemy, they reported, were +not over 15,000 strong while, in all, the Garibaldians and +mobilized national guards in the town were 30,000 to 40,000 strong. +The French were also much stronger in artillery.</p> +<p>Captain Barclay returned home with the boys. They sat up late, +talking over the affair, and it was nearly midnight when they went +up to their rooms. Suddenly, they were startled by a fresh outburst +of fire upon the heights. In a minute or two, all the household +were in the garden.</p> +<p>"It is a night attack," Captain Barclay said; "and judging by +the sound, they are in earnest. I can hear musketry, as well as +artillery."</p> +<p>As they listened, it came nearer.</p> +<p>"They have taken Daix and Hauteville," Ralph said. "What shall +we do, papa? We can't stay here, quiet. It is our plain duty to go +down, and report ourselves to General Pelissier."</p> +<p>"I think you ought to do so," Captain Barclay answered, +gravely.</p> +<p>The boys went off to put on their uniforms--for Ralph had +replaced the one he had left behind, in the cottage near +Orleans.</p> +<p>"I do not think you need be uneasy, Melanie," Captain Barclay +said to his wife. "It is our duty to go; but I hardly think that +they can have been reinforced in sufficient strength to attack the +town."</p> +<p>The boys were soon down.</p> +<p>"Goodbye, mamma; goodbye, Milly. Don't be alarmed about us. We +have no horses, and there can be no risk of our being sent on any +perilous service, tonight."</p> +<p>Two silent kisses, and then father and sons hurried away towards +the town.</p> +<p>"They have taken Fontaine les Dijon," Ralph said. "We shall soon +see if they are in earnest."</p> +<p>Dijon they found in utter confusion. Mounted orderlies galloped +about. The troops were all under arms. Engineers were at work, +crenelating the walls and houses upon the side threatened with +attack. General Garibaldi was sitting in his carriage, in readiness +to move in any direction, instantly. General Pelissier--who +commanded the mobilized guards--was in his office, and staff +officers came in and out with reports, every five minutes.</p> +<p>The boys entered, and briefly reported themselves for service. +They had already reported their presence in the place, upon their +arrival.</p> +<p>"Thank you, gentlemen," he said. "I do not think that you can be +of any use, just at present; but if the Germans press the attack, I +shall be greatly obliged. In that case, please dismount two of the +orderlies, and take their horses."</p> +<p>The night passed off, however, quietly. The Germans, satisfied +with the advantage, remained in the positions they had taken; and +the French prepared to drive them back again, in the morning.</p> +<p>At daybreak, the troops began to pour out from the town; and the +cannonade commenced with greater fury on both sides. Two of the +orderlies, in obedience to General Pelissier's orders, gave up +their horses to the Barclays; who rode out with the general's +staff. The Prussians had evidently been reinforced, in the night; +but the French nevertheless gained ground, gradually. After several +hours' heavy cannonading, the Mobilises were ordered to take the +position of Fontaine les Dijon, with the bayonet. Three +Zouaves--who happened to be present--took their places at the head +of the column and, at the double, they went up the hill amidst a +storm of shot and shell. The Germans did not await the assault, but +fell back upon Daix.</p> +<p>The spirit of the Mobilises was now up and, still led by the +three Zouaves, they dashed forward. The resistance here was +obstinate; but the Germans were driven back, with great loss. The +pursuers gave them no rest; but went forward at the double, and +drove them out of Hauteville at the bayonet's point, thus winning +back all the positions lost in the night. The Barclays had little +to do during the affair as, after the orders had once been given, +the spirit of the troops carried them on over everything. The loss +upon both sides was considerable, and one of General Werder's sons +was among the prisoners taken by the French.</p> +<p>The fight over, the boys returned home for a few hours. Their +father had come in half an hour before them.</p> +<p>The next morning they returned, at daybreak, to Dijon. The +Prussians had received considerable reinforcements, in the night; +and had executed a long detour, advancing this time by the Langres +Road, nearly due north of the city. They left the road and took up +their position upon a plateau, near the village of Pouilly, about +three miles from Dijon. The French positions were about a mile +nearer to the town, extending from the foot of Fontaine les Dijon +through the villages of Saint Marten, and Fontaine.</p> +<p>From the morning, until three in the day, a heavy artillery fire +was kept up, on both sides. At that hour, the Prussians gave signs +of an intention to advance. Their artillery took up fresh +positions, their fire increased in rapidity, and it was evident +that the crisis of the day was at hand. Up to this time, the boys +had had but little to do. Sitting on their horses, or leaning +against them, they had chatted with the officers of the general +staff. At this period, however, General Garibaldi drew up; and +there was a brief consultation between him and General Pelissier. A +few hasty orders were given and, in an instant, the whole of the +staff were dashing away to different parts of the ground.</p> +<p>"Charge in line!" was the order and, forming shoulder to +shoulder, the Garibaldians and Mobiles moved forward in a grand +line, a mile and a half long; uttering loud and inspiriting cheers. +The boys had been sent to the regiments next to each other and, +their message delivered, they joined each other and rode on with +the advancing line.</p> +<p>"This is grand, Ralph," Percy said, enthusiastically. "We have +seen a good many defeats. We are going to wind up with a victory, +at last."</p> +<p>For a while the Germans stood their ground, pouring a shower of +shot and shell into the advancing French; but the dash and go of +the latter--excited by their successes of the two preceding +days--were irresistible. The Germans wavered and fell back as the +French advanced and, from that moment, the fate of the day was +decided. Isolated German regiments fought desperately, but in vain. +The French pushed them back, from position to position, until +nightfall covered the retreat.</p> +<p>The German loss was very heavy; and the French, in addition to a +considerable number of prisoners, had the satisfaction of taking a +German color--the only one captured throughout the war.</p> +<p>This was the last fight in which the Barclays took part during +the war. The boys escaped unhurt; as did their father, who had +joined one of the regiments of Mobiles, and had advanced with +them.</p> +<p>The events followed fast, day after day. In rapid succession, +they heard of the defeat of Chanzy at Le Mans, the retreat of +Bourbaki; the terrible sufferings of the troops, as they fell back +upon the Swiss frontier, for refuge. Simultaneously with the news +of this retreat came the intelligence of the surrender of Paris, +and of the armistice and, grieving over France's misfortune, they +were yet heartily rejoiced that the hopeless contest was over.</p> +<p>No sooner were the preliminaries of peace signed than Captain +Barclay carried out his intention of leaving for England. Monsieur +Duburg had already agreed to purchase the cottage, and adjoining +grounds; which he intends for Louis, when he marries. The Barclays +were sorry to leave their uncle and cousins, but there was no great +grief with reference to the separation from Madame Duburg.</p> +<p>General Tempe they parted from with regret. That officer's +fighting days were over, for he lost a leg in the battle before Le +Mans.</p> +<p>Ralph obtained the step as major, in consequence of General +Chanzy's report in his favor, but he never put on the uniform of +the rank; nor is it likely that he ever will do so, although he +hopes, some day, to attain the grade in the British service. He is +at present studying hard for an examination in the artillery which, +if practical knowledge goes for anything, he is pretty certain to +get.</p> +<p>Percy has had enough of fighting, and his present idea is that +he shall go to the Bar; but he has plenty of time before him, yet. +Both never boast of their achievements--indeed, are +straightforward, unaffected English lads, still--and it is only to +intimate friends that they ever speak of their adventures in the +war.</p> +<p>The Barclays live now a short distance out of London; and the +pony chaise in which Captain Barclay drives his wife and Milly can +be seen, any day, on the Richmond road. If you stop and watch it +turn into the little drive, up to the house, you will observe that +a one-armed man--who has previously been busy in the garden--throws +down his spade, and takes the ponies off to the stables and, should +he not happen to be at the front of the house, as the ponies draw +up, you will hear Milly summon him with a loud call of "Tim!"</p> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Young Franc Tireurs, by G. A. Henty + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE YOUNG FRANC TIREURS *** + +***** This file should be named 22060-h.htm or 22060-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/0/6/22060/ + +Produced by Martin Robb + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. 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A. Henty + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Young Franc Tireurs + And Their Adventures in the Franco-Prussian War + +Author: G. A. Henty + +Illustrator: F. T. Young + +Release Date: July 13, 2007 [EBook #22060] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE YOUNG FRANC TIREURS *** + + + + +Produced by Martin Robb + + + + + + + + +The Young Franc Tireurs +And Their Adventures in the Franco-Prussian War +By G. A. Henty. + + + +Contents + +Preface. +Chapter 1: The Outbreak Of War. +Chapter 2: Terrible News. +Chapter 3: Death To The Spy! +Chapter 4: Starting For The Vosges. +Chapter 5: The First Engagement. +Chapter 6: The Tunnel Of Saverne. +Chapter 7: A Baffled Project. +Chapter 8: The Traitor. +Chapter 9: A Desperate Fight. +Chapter 10: The Bridge Of The Vesouze. +Chapter 11: A Fight In The Vosges. +Chapter 12: The Surprise. +Chapter 13: The Escape. +Chapter 14: A Perilous Expedition. +Chapter 15: The Expedition. +Chapter 16: A Desperate Attempt. +Chapter 17: A Balloon Voyage. +Chapter 18: A Day Of Victory. +Chapter 19: Down At Last. +Chapter 20: Crossing The Lines. +Chapter 21: Home. + +Illustrations + +Rescue of a Supposed Spy. +Among the German Soldiers. +The Children on the Battlefield. +The Sea! The Sea! + + + +Preface. + + +My Dear Lads, + +The present story was written and published a few months, only, +after the termination of the Franco-German war. At that time the +plan--which I have since carried out in The Young Buglers, Cornet +of Horse, and In Times of Peril, and which I hope to continue, in +further volumes--of giving, under the guise of historical tales, +full and accurate accounts of all the leading events of great wars, +had not occurred to me. My object was only to represent one phase +of the struggle--the action of the bodies of volunteer troops known +as franc tireurs. + +The story is laid in France and is, therefore, written from the +French point of view. The names, places, and dates have been +changed; but circumstances and incidents are true. There were a +good many English among the franc tireurs, and boys of from fifteen +to sixteen were by no means uncommon in their ranks. Having been +abroad during the whole of the war, I saw a good deal of these +irregulars, and had several intimate friends amongst them. Upon the +whole, these corps did much less service to the cause of France +than might have been reasonably expected. They were too often badly +led, and were sometimes absolutely worse than useless. + +But there were brilliant exceptions, and very many of those daring +actions were performed which--while requiring heroism and courage +of the highest kind--are unknown to the world in general, and find +no place in history. Many of the occurrences in this tale are +related, almost in the words in which they were described to me, by +those who took part in them; and nearly every fact and circumstance +actually occurred, according to my own knowledge. Without aspiring +to the rank of a history, however slight, the story will give you a +fair idea of what the life of the franc tireurs was, and of what +some of them actually went through, suffered, and performed. + +Yours sincerely, + +The Author. + + + +Chapter 1: The Outbreak Of War. + + +The usually quiet old town of Dijon was in a state of excitement. +There were groups of people in the streets; especially round the +corners, where the official placards were posted up. Both at the +Prefecture and the Maine there were streams of callers, all day. +Every functionary wore an air of importance, and mystery; and +mounted orderlies galloped here and there, at headlong speed. The +gendarmes had twisted their mustaches to even finer points than +usual, and walked about with the air of men who knew all about the +matter, and had gone through more serious affairs than this was +likely to be. + +In the marketplace, the excitement and buzz of conversation were at +their highest. It was the market day, and the whole area of the +square was full. Never, in the memory of the oldest inhabitant, had +such a market been seen in Dijon. For the ten days preceding, +France had been on the tiptoe of expectation; and every peasant's +wife and daughter, for miles round the town, had come with their +baskets of eggs, fowls, or fruits, to attend the market and to hear +the news. So crowded was it, that it was really difficult to move +about. People were not, however, unmindful of bargains--for the +French peasant woman is a thrifty body, and has a shrewd eye to +sous--so the chaffering and haggling, which almost invariably +precede each purchase, went on as briskly as usual but, between +times, all thoughts and all tongues ran upon the great event of the +day. + +It was certain--quite certain, now--that there was to be war with +Prussia. The newspapers had said so, for some days; but then, bah! +who believes a newspaper? Monsieur le Prefect had published the +news, today; and everyone knows that Monsieur le Prefect is not a +man to say a thing, unless it were true. Most likely the Emperor, +himself, had written to him. Oh! There could be no doubt about it, +now. + +It was singular to hear, amidst all the talk, that the speculation +and argument turned but little upon the chances of the war, itself; +it being tacitly assumed to be a matter of course that the Germans +would be defeated, with ease, by the French. The great subject of +speculation was upon the points which directly affected the +speakers. Would the Mobiles be called out, and forced to march; +would soldiers who had served their time be recalled to the +service, even if they were married; and would next year's +conscripts be called out, at once? These were the questions which +everyone asked, but no one could answer. In another day or two, it +was probable that the orders respecting these matters would arrive +and, in the meantime, the merry Burgundian girls endeavored to hide +their own uneasiness by laughingly predicting an early summons to +arms to the young men of their acquaintance. + +At the Lycee--or great school--the boys are just coming out. They +are too excited to attend to lessons, and have been released hours +before their usual time. They troop out from the great doors, +talking and gesticulating. Their excitement, however, takes a +different form to that which that of English boys would do, under +the same circumstances. There was no shouting, no pushing, no +practical jokes. The French boy does not play; at least, he does +not play roughly. When young he does, indeed, sometimes play at +buchon--a game something similar to the game of buttons, as played +by English street boys. He may occasionally play at marbles but, +after twelve years of age, he puts aside games as beneath him. +Prisoners' base, football, and cricket are alike unknown to him; +and he considers any exertion which would disarrange his hair, or +his shirt collar, as barbarous and absurd. His amusements are +walking in the public promenade, talking politics with the gravity +of a man of sixty, and discussing the local news and gossip. + +This is the general type of French school boy. Of course, there are +many exceptions and, in the Lycee of Dijon, these were more +numerous than usual. This was due, to a great extent, to the +influence of the two boys who are coming out of the school, at the +present moment. Ralph and Percy Barclay are--as one can see at +first sight--English; that is to say, their father is English, and +they have taken after him, and not after their French mother. They +are French born, for they first saw the light at the pretty cottage +where they still live, about two miles out of the town; but their +father, Captain Barclay, has brought them up as English boys, and +they have been for two years at a school in England. + +Their example has had some effect. Their cousins, Louis and +Philippe Duburg, are almost as fond of cricket, and other games, +and of taking long rambles for miles round, as they are themselves. +Other boys have also taken to these amusements and, consequently, +you would see more square figures, more healthy faces at the Lycee +at Dijon than at most other French schools. The boys who joined in +these games formed a set in themselves, apart from the rest. They +were called either the English set or, contemptuously, the +"savages;" but this latter name was not often applied to them +before their faces, for the young Barclays had learned to box, in +England; and their cousins, as well as a few of the others, had +practised with the gloves with them. Consequently, although the +"savages" might be wondered at, and sneered at behind their backs, +the offensive name was never applied in their hearing. + +At the present moment, Ralph Barclay was the center of a knot of +lads of his own age. + +"And so, you don't think that we shall get to Berlin, Ralph +Barclay? You think that these Prussian louts are going to beat the +French army? Look now, it is a little strong to say that, in a +French town." + +"But I don't say that, at all," Ralph Barclay said. "You are +talking as if it was a certainty that we were going to march over +the Prussians. I simply say, don't be too positive. There can be no +doubt about the courage of the French army; but pluck, alone, won't +do. The question is, are our generals and our organization as good +as those of the Prussians? And can we put as many, or anything like +as many, men into the field? I am at least half French, and hope +with all my heart that we shall thrash these Germans; but we know +that they are good soldiers, and it is safer not to begin to brag, +till the work is over." + +There was silence, for a minute or two, after Ralph ceased +speaking. The fact was, the thought that perhaps France might be +defeated had never once, before, presented itself to them as +possible. They were half disposed to be angry with the English boy +for stating it; but it was in the first place, evident now that +they thought of it, that it was just possible and, in the second +place, a quarrel with Ralph Barclay was a thing which all his +schoolfellows avoided. + +Ralph Barclay was nearly sixteen, his brother a year younger. Their +father, Captain Barclay, had lost a leg in one of the innumerable +wars in India, two or three years before the outbreak of the +Crimean war. He returned to England, and was recommended by his +doctors to spend the winter in the south of France. This he did +and, shortly after his arrival at Pau, he had fallen in love with +Melanie Duburg; daughter of a landed proprietor near Dijon, and who +was stopping there with a relative. A month later he called upon +her father at Dijon and, in the spring, they were married. Captain +Barclay's half pay, a small private income, and the little fortune +which his wife brought him were ample to enable him to live +comfortably, in France; and there, accordingly, he had settled +down. + +His family consisted of Ralph, Percy, and a daughter--called, after +her mother, Melanie, and who was two years younger than Percy. It +had always been Captain Barclay's intention to return to England, +when the time came for the boys to enter into some business or +profession; and he had kept up his English connection by several +visits there, of some months' duration, with his whole family. The +boys, too, had been for two years at school in England--as well as +for two years in Germany--and they spoke the three languages with +equal fluency. + +A prettier abode than that of Captain Barclay would be difficult to +find. It was in no particular style of architecture, and would have +horrified a lover of the classic. It was half Swiss, half Gothic, +and altogether French. It had numerous little gables, containing +the funniest-shaped little rooms. It had a high roof, with +projecting eaves; and round three sides ran a wide veranda, with a +trellis work--over which vines were closely trained--subduing the +glare of the summer sun, casting a cool green shade over the +sitting rooms, and affording a pretty and delightfully cool +retreat; where Mrs. Barclay generally sat with her work and taught +Melanie, moving round the house with the sun, so as to be always in +the shade. + +The drawing and dining rooms both opened into this veranda The road +came up to the back of the house; and upon the other three sides +was a garden, which was a compromise between the English and French +styles. It had a smooth, well-mown lawn, with a few patches of +bright flowers which were quite English; and mixed up among them, +and beyond them, were clumps of the graceful foliaged plants and +shrubs in which the French delight. Beyond was a vineyard, with its +low rows of vines while, over these, the view stretched away to the +towers of Dijon. + +In the veranda the boys, upon their return, found Captain Barclay +reading the papers, and smoking. He looked up as they entered. + +"You are back early, boys." + +"Yes, papa, there was so much talking going on, that the professor +gave it up as hopeless. You have heard the news, of course?" + +"Yes, boys, and am very sorry to hear it." + +Captain Barclay spoke so gravely that Ralph asked, anxiously: + +"Don't you think we shall thrash them, papa?" + +"I consider it very doubtful, Ralph," his father said. "Prussia has +already gained an immense moral victory. She has chosen her own +time for war; and has, at the same time, obliged France to take the +initiative, and so to appear to be the aggressor--and therefore to +lose the moral support of Europe. She has forced this quarrel upon +France, and yet nine-tenths of Europe look upon France as the +inciter of the war. History will show the truth, but it will then +be too late. As it is, France enters upon the war with the weight +of public opinion dead against her and, what is worse, she enters +upon it altogether unprepared; whereas Prussia has been getting +ready, for years." + +"But the French always have shown themselves to be better soldiers +than the Prussians, papa." + +"So they have, Percy, and--equally well led, disciplined, and +organized--I believe that, in anything like equal forces, they +would do so again. The question is, have we generals to equal those +who led the Prussians to victory against Austria? Is our discipline +equal--or anything like equal--to that of the Prussians? Is our +organization as good as theirs? And lastly, have we anything like +their numbers? + +"I don't like the look of it, boys, at all. We ought, according to +published accounts, to be able to put a larger army than theirs in +the field, just at first and, if we were but prepared, should +certainly be able to carry all before us, for a while. I question +very much if we are so prepared. Supposing it to be so, however, +the success would, I fear, be but temporary; for the German +reserves are greatly superior to ours. Discipline, too, has gone +off sadly, since I first knew the French army. + +"Radical opinions may be very wise, and very excellent for a +nation, for aught I know; but it is certain that they are fatal to +the discipline of an army. My own opinion, as you know, is that +they are equally fatal for a country, but that is a matter of +opinion, only; but of the fact that a good Radical makes an +extremely bad soldier, I am quite clear, and the spread of Radical +opinion among the French army has been very great. Then, too, the +officers have been much to blame. They think of pleasure far more +than duty. They spend four times as much time in the cafes and +billiard rooms as they do in the drill ground. Altogether, in my +opinion, the French army has greatly gone off in all points--except +in courage which, being a matter of nationality, is probably as +high as ever. It is a bad lookout, boys--a very bad lookout. + +"There, don't talk about it any more. I do not want to make your +mother unhappy. Remember not to express--either as my or your own +opinion--anything I have said, in the town. It would only render +you obnoxious, and might even cause serious mischief. If things go +wrong, French mobs are liable to wreak their bad temper on the +first comer." + +"Percy," Mrs. Barclay said, coming into the room, "please to run +down to the end of the garden, and cut some lettuces for salad. +Marie is so upset that she can do nothing." + +"What is the matter with her, mamma?" both the boys asked, at once. + +"Victor Harve--you know him, the son of the blacksmith Harve, who +had served his time in the army, and came back two months ago to +join his father in his forge, and to marry our Marie--has left to +join his regiment. He was here, an hour since, to say goodbye. By +this time he will have started. It is not wonderful that she weeps. +She may never see him again. I have told her that she must be +brave. A Frenchwoman should not grudge those she loves most to +fight for France." + +"Ah! Melanie," Captain Barclay said, smiling, "these little +patriotic outbursts are delightful, when one does not have to +practice them at one's own expense. 'It is sweet and right to die +for one's country,' said the old Roman, and everyone agrees with +him but, at the same time, every individual man has a strong +objection to put himself in the way of this sweet and proper death. + +"Although, as you say, no Frenchwoman should grudge her love to her +country; I fancy, if a levee en masse took place, tomorrow, and the +boys as well as the cripples had to go--so that Ralph, Percy, and I +were all obliged to march--you would feel that you did grudge us to +the country, most amazingly." + +Mrs. Barclay turned a little pale at the suggestion. + +"Ah! I can't suppose that, Richard. You are English, and they +cannot touch you, or the boys; even if you could march, and if they +were old enough." + +Captain Barclay smiled. + +"That is no answer, Melanie. You are shirking the question. I said, +if they were to make us go." + +"Ah, yes! I am afraid I should grudge you, Richard, and the boys, +except the enemy were to invade France; and then everyone, even we +women, would fight. But of that there is no chance. It is we who +will invade." + +Captain Barclay made no reply. + +"The plums want gathering, papa," Percy said, returning from +cutting the lettuces. "It was arranged that our cousins should come +over, when they were ripe, and have a regular picking. They have no +plums, and Madame Duburg wants them for preserving. May we go over +after dinner, and ask them to come in at three o'clock, and spend +the evening?" + +"Certainly," Captain Barclay said; "and you can give your mamma's +compliments, and ask if your uncle and Madame Duburg will come in, +after they have dined. The young ones will make their dinner at our +six o'clock tea." + +In France early dinner is a thing scarcely known, even among the +peasantry; that is to say, their meals are taken at somewhat the +same time as ours are, but are called by different names. The +Frenchman never eats what we call breakfast; that is, he never +makes a really heavy meal, the first thing in the morning. He +takes, however, coffee and milk and bread and butter, when he gets +up. He does not call this breakfast. He speaks of it as his morning +coffee; and takes his breakfast at eleven, or half-past eleven, or +even at twelve. This is a regular meal, with soup, meat, and wine. +In England it would be called an early lunch. At six o'clock the +Frenchman dines, and even the working man calls this meal--which an +English laborer would call supper--his dinner. The Barclays' meals, +therefore, differed more in name than in reality from those of +their neighbors. + +Louis and Philippe Duburg came in at five o'clock, but brought a +message that their sisters would come in with their father and +mother, later. Melanie was neither surprised nor disappointed at +the non-arrival of her cousins. She greatly preferred being with +the boys, and always felt uncomfortable with Julie and Justine; +who, although little older than herself, were already as prim, +decorous, and properly behaved as if they had been women of thirty +years old. After tea was over, the four boys returned to their work +of gathering plums; while Melanie--or Milly, as her father called +her, to distinguish her from her mother--picked up the plums that +fell, handed up fresh baskets and received the full ones, and +laughed and chattered with her brothers and cousins. + +While so engaged, Monsieur and Madame Duburg arrived, with their +daughters, Julie and Justine. Monsieur Duburg--Mrs. Barclay's +brother--was proprietor of a considerable estate, planted almost +entirely with vines. His income was a large one, for the soil was +favorable, and he carried on the culture with such care and +attention that the wines fetched a higher price than any in the +district. He was a clear-headed, sensible man, with a keen eye to a +bargain. He was fond of his sister and her English husband, and had +offered no opposition to his boys entering into the games and +amusements of their cousins--although his wife was constantly +urging him to do so. It was, to Madame Duburg, a terrible thing +that her boys--instead of being always tidy and orderly, and ready, +when at home, to accompany her for a walk--should come home +flushed, hot, and untidy, with perhaps a swelled cheek or a black +eye, from the effects of a blow from a cricket ball or boxing +glove. + +Upon their arrival at Captain Barclay's, the two gentlemen strolled +out to smoke a cigar together, and to discuss the prospects of the +war and its effect upon prices. + +Mrs. Barclay had asked Julie and Justine if they would like to go +down to the orchard; but Madame Duburg had so hurriedly answered in +their name, in a negative--saying that they would stroll round the +garden until Melanie returned--that Mrs. Barclay had no resource +but to ask them, when they passed near the orchard, to call +Milly--in her name--to join them in the garden. + +"My dear Melanie," Madame Duburg began, when her daughters had +walked away in a quiet, prim manner, hand in hand, "I was really +quite shocked, as we came along. There was Melanie, laughing and +calling out as loudly as the boys themselves, handing up baskets +and lifting others down, with her hair all in confusion, and +looking--excuse my saying so--more like a peasant girl than a young +lady." + +Mrs. Barclay smiled quietly. + +"Milly is enjoying herself, no doubt, sister-in-law; and I do not +see that her laughing, or calling out, or handing baskets will do +her any serious harm. As for her hair, five minutes' brushing will +set that right." + +"But, my dear sister-in-law," Madame Duburg said, earnestly, "do +you recall to yourself that Milly is nearly fourteen years old; +that she will soon be becoming a woman, that in another three years +you will be searching for a husband for her? My faith, it is +terrible--and she has yet no figure, no manner;" and Madame Duburg +looked, with an air of gratified pride, at the stiff figures of her +own two girls. + +"Her figure is not a bad one, sister-in-law," Mrs. Barclay said, +composedly; "she is taller than Julie--who is six months her +senior--she is as straight as an arrow. Her health is admirable; +she has never had a day's illness." + +"But she cannot walk; she absolutely cannot walk!" Madame Duburg +said, lifting up her hands in horror. + +"She walked upwards of twelve miles with her father, yesterday," +Mrs. Barclay said, pretending to misunderstand her sister-in-law's +meaning. + +"I did not mean that," Madame Duburg said, impatiently, "but she +walks like a peasant girl. My faith, it is shocking to say, but she +walks like a boy. I should be desolated to see my daughter step out +in that way. + +"Then, look at her manners. My word, she has no manners at all. The +other day when I was here, and Monsieur de Riviere with his sons +called, she was awkward and shy; yes, indeed, she was positively +awkward and shy. It is dreadful for me to have to say so, +sister-in-law, but it is true. No manners, no ease! Julie, and even +Justine, can receive visitors even as I could do, myself." + +"Her manners are not formed yet, sister-in-law," Mrs. Barclay said, +quietly, "nor do I care that they should be. She is a young girl at +present, and I do not wish to see her a woman before her time. In +three years it will be time enough for her to mend her manners." + +"But in three years, sister-in-law, you will be looking for a +husband for her." + +"I shall be doing nothing of the sort," Mrs. Barclay said, +steadily. "In that, as in many other matters, I greatly prefer the +English ways. As you know, we give up our house in two years, and +go to England to reside. We have economized greatly, during the +seventeen years since our marriage. We can afford to live in +England, now. + +"At sixteen, therefore, Milly will have good masters; and for two +years her education will be carried on, and her walk and manner +will, no doubt, improve. In England, fathers and mothers do not +arrange the marriage of their children; and Milly will have to do +as other girls do--that is--wait until someone falls in love with +her, and she falls in love with him. Then, if he is a proper +person, and has enough to keep her, they will be married." + +Madame Duburg was too much shocked at the expression of these +sentiments to answer at once. She only sighed, shook her head, and +looked upwards. + +"It is strange," she said at last, "to hear you, sister-in-law--a +Frenchwoman--speak so lightly of marriage. As if a young girl could +know, as well as her parents, who is a fit and proper person for +her to marry. Besides, the idea of a young girl falling in love, +before she marries, is shocking, quite shocking!" + +"My dear sister-in-law," Mrs. Barclay said, "we have talked this +matter over before, and I have always stated my opinion, frankly. I +have been a good deal in England; and have seen, therefore, and +know the result of English marriages. I know also what French +marriages are; and no one, who does know the state of things in the +two countries, can hesitate for a moment in declaring that married +life in England is infinitely happier, in every respect, than it is +in France. The idea of telling your daughter that she is to marry a +man whom she has never seen--as we do in France--is, to my mind, +simply monstrous. Fortunately, I myself married for love; and I +have been happy, ever since. I intend Milly, when the time comes, +to do the same thing." + +Before Madame Duburg had time to answer, the gentlemen joined them, +and the conversation turned upon the war. In a short time the three +girls came up. + +"What a rosy little thing you are, Milly," her uncle said; "where +do you get your plump cheeks, and your bright color? I wish you +could give the receipt to Julie and Justine. Why, if you were to +blow very hard, I do think you would blow them both down." + +"I am really surprised at you, Monsieur Duburg," his wife said, +angrily. "I am sure I do not wish Julie and Justine to have as much +color as their cousin. I consider it quite a misfortune for poor +Milly. It is so very commonplace. Poor child, she looks as if she +had been working at the vintage." + +"That is right, madame; stand up for your own," and her husband, +who was accustomed to his wife's speeches, laughed. "But for all +that, commonplace or not commonplace, I should like to see some of +Milly's bright, healthy color in my girls' cheeks; and I should +like to see them walk as if they had forgotten, for a moment, their +tight boots and high heels." + +His wife was about to make an angry reply, when the arrival of the +four boys--bearing in triumph the last basket of plums--changed the +conversation; and shortly afterwards, Madame Duburg remarking that +the evening was damp, and that she did not like Julie and Justine +to be out in it any later, the Du burgs took their leave. + + + +Chapter 2: Terrible News. + + +The ten days succeeding the declaration of war were days of +excitement, and anticipation. The troops quartered at Dijon moved +forward at once; and scarcely an hour passed but long trains, +filled with soldiers from Lyons and the South, were on their way up +towards Metz. The people of Dijon spent half their time in and +around the station. The platform was kept clear; but bands of +ladies relieved each other every few hours, and handed soup, bread, +fruit, and wine to the soldiers as they passed through. Each +crowded train was greeted, as it approached the station, with +cheers and waving of handkerchiefs; to which the troops as heartily +responded. Most of the trains were decorated with boughs, and +presented a gay appearance as, filled with the little line men, the +sunburned Zouaves, swarthy Turcos, gay hussars, or sober +artillerymen, they wound slowly into the town. + +Some of the trains were less gay, but were not less significant of +war. Long lines of wagons, filled with cannon; open trucks with the +deadly shell--arranged side by side, point upwards, and looking +more like eggs in a basket than deadly missiles--came and went. +There, too, were long trains of pontoons for forming bridges while, +every half hour, long lines of wagons filled with biscuits, barrels +of wine, sacks of coffee, and cases of stores of all sorts and +kinds passed through. + +The enthusiasm of Dijon, at the sight of this moving panorama of +war, rose to fever heat. The sound of the Marseillaise resounded +from morning to night. Victory was looked upon as certain, and the +only subject of debate was as to the terms which victorious France +would impose upon conquered Prussia. The only impatience felt was +for the news of the first victory. + +Captain Barclay sent down several casks of wine, for the use of the +passing troops; and his wife went down, each day, to assist at the +distribution. In the evening she and Milly scraped old rags, to +make lint for the wounded. The Lycee was still closed--as it was +found impossible to get the boys to attend to their studies--and +Ralph and Percy spent their time in watching the trains go past, +and in shouting themselves hoarse. + +Captain Barclay did not share in the general enthusiasm and, each +morning at breakfast, he looked more and more grave as, upon +opening the papers, he found there was still no news of the +commencement of hostilities. + +"What difference does it make, papa?" Ralph asked, one day; "we are +sending fresh troops up, every hour, and I do not see how a few +days' delay can be any disadvantage to us." + +"It makes all the difference, Ralph, all the difference in the +world. We had a considerably larger standing army than the +Prussians, and had the advantage that the main body of our troops +were very much nearer to the frontier than those of the Prussians. +If things had been ready, we ought to have marched two hundred +thousand men into Germany, three or four days--at latest--after the +declaration of war. The Germans could have had no force capable of +resisting them. We should have had the prestige of a first +success--no slight thing with a French army--and we should also +have had the great and solid advantage of fighting in an enemy's +country, instead of upon our own. + +"The German reserves are far greater than our own. We know how +perfect their organization is, and every hour of delay is an +immense advantage to them. It is quite likely now that, instead of +the French invading Germany, it will be the Prussians who will +invade France." + +The boys were but little affected by their father's forebodings. It +was scarcely possible to suppose that everyone could be wrong; +still more impossible to believe that those great hosts which they +saw passing, so full of high hope and eager courage, could be +beaten. They were, however, very glad to sit round the table of an +evening, while Captain Barclay opened a great map on the table, +explained the strength of the various positions, and the +probability of this or that line of attack being selected by one or +the other army. + +Day after day went by until, on the 2nd of August, the news came at +last. The first blow had been struck, the first blood shed--the +French had taken Saarbruck. + +"It is too late," Captain Barclay said, as Ralph and Percy rushed +in, to say that the news was posted up at the Prefecture. "It is +too late, boys. The English papers, of this morning, have brought +us the news that the Germans are massing at least seven or eight +hundred thousand men, along the line from Saar Louis to Spiers. It +is evident that they fell back from Saarbruck without any serious +resistance. In another two or three days they will be in readiness +and, as they must far outnumber our men, you will see that the +advantage at Saarbruck will not be followed up, and that the +Prussians will assume the offensive." + +"Then what do you really think will be the result, papa?" + +"I think, Ralph, that we shall be forced to do what--not having, at +once, taken the offensive--we ought to have done from the first. We +shall have to fall back, to abandon the line of frontier--which is +altogether indefensible--and to hold the line of the Moselle, and +the spurs of the Vosges; an immensely strong position, and which we +ought to be able to hold against all the efforts of Prussia." + +The exultation of Dijon was but short lived for, on the 5th, the +boys came up in the afternoon, from the town, with very serious +faces. + +"What is the matter, Ralph?" + +"There is a rumor in the town, papa, that the Swiss papers have +published an account of the capture of Weissenburg, by the +Prussians. A great many French are said to be prisoners. Do you +think it can be true?" + +"It is probable, at any rate, Ralph. The Swiss papers would, of +course, get the news an hour or so after it is known in Germany. We +must not begin by believing all that the telegram says, because +both sides are certain to claim victories; still, the absolute +capture of a town is a matter upon which there can be no dispute, +and is therefore likely enough to be true. We know the Prussians +were massed all along that line and, as I expected, they have taken +the offensive. Their chances of success in so doing were evident; +as neither party know where the others are preparing to strike a +blow, and each can therefore concentrate, and strike with an +overwhelming force at any given point. + +"Now that the Germans have made the first move, and shown their +intention, both parties will concentrate in that direction. You +see, from Weissenburg the Germans can either march south upon +Strasburg, or southwest upon Metz or Nancy; but to reach this +latter place they will have to cross the spurs of the Vosges. The +French will, of course, try to bar their further advance. We may +expect a great battle, in a day or two." + +The news came but too soon for--two days later--Dijon, as well as +all France, stood aghast at the news of the utter rout of +MacMahon's division, after the desperately contested battle of +Woerth; and the not less decided, though less disastrous, defeats +of the French left, at Forbach, by the troops of Steinmetz. Some +little consolation was, however, gleaned by the fact that the +French had been beaten in detail; and had shown the utmost +gallantry, against greatly superior numbers. They would now, no +doubt, fall back behind the Moselle; and hold that line, and the +position of the Vosges, until fresh troops could come up, and a +great battle be fought upon more even terms. + +Fresh levies were everywhere ordered, and a deep and general +feeling of rage prevailed. No one thought of blaming the troops--it +was evident that they had done their best; the fault lay with the +generals, and with the organization. + +Captain Barclay pointed out, to the boys, that the officers and men +were somewhat to blame, also; for the utter confusion which +prevailed among MacMahon's troops, in their retreat, showed that +the whole regimental system was faulty; and that there could have +been no real discipline, whatever, or the shattered regiments would +have rallied, a few miles from the field of battle. + +In Dijon, the change during the last fortnight was marvelous The +war spirit was higher than ever. Cost what it might, this disgrace +must be wiped out. The Mobiles were hard at work, drilling. The +soldiers who had long left the army were starting, by every train, +to the depots. The sound of the Marseillaise rang through the +streets, night and day. The chorus, "To arms," gained a fresh +meaning and power and, in spite of these first defeats, none +dreamed of final defeat. + +Every day, however, the news became worse. Strasburg was cut off; +and the Prussians marched unopposed across the spurs of the Vosges, +where a mere handful of men might have checked them. + +"Boys, there are terrible days in store, for France," Captain +Barclay said, when the news came that the enemy had entered Nancy. +"The line of the Moselle is turned. Bazaine will be cut off, unless +he hurries his retreat; and then nothing can stop the Prussians +from marching to Paris." + +The boys sat speechless at this terrible assurance. + +"Surely it cannot be as bad as that," Mrs. Barclay said. "Frenchmen +cannot have lost all their old qualities; and all France will rise, +like one man, to march to the defense of Paris." + +"Raw levies will be of no use, whatever, against the Prussian +troops, flushed with victory," Captain Barclay said; "even if they +were armed--and where are the arms, for a levy en masse, to come +from? If Bazaine be beaten, the only hope of France is for all the +troops who remain to fall back under the guns of the forts of +Paris; and for France to enter upon an immense guerrilla war. For +hosts of skirmishers to hang upon their flanks and rear; cutting +every road, destroying every bridge, checking the movements of +every detached body, and so actually starving them out, on the +ground which they occupy. + +"This, however, will demand an immense amount of pluck, of +endurance, of perseverance, of sacrifice, and of patriotism. The +question is, does France possess these qualities?" + +"Surely, Richard, you cannot doubt the patriotism of the French," +Mrs. Barclay said, a little reproachfully. + +"My dear Melanie," her husband said, "I am sorry to say that I very +greatly doubt the patriotism of the French. They are--more than any +people, more even than the English, whom they laugh at as a nation +of shopkeepers--a money-making race. The bourgeoise class, the +shopkeepers, the small proprietors, are selfish in the extreme. +They think only of their money, their business, and their comforts. +The lower class are perhaps better, but their first thoughts will +be how the war will affect themselves and, unless there is some +chance of the enemy approaching their homes, driving off their +cattle, and plundering their cottages, they will look on with a +very calm eye at the general ruin. + +"I believe, remember, that those who will be called out will go +and, if affairs go as I fear that they will do, every man under +fifty years old in France will have to go out; but it is not enough +to go out. For a war like this, it will require desperate courage +and endurance, and an absolute disregard of life; to counterbalance +the disadvantages of want of discipline, want of arms, want of +artillery, and want of organization I may be wrong--I hope that I +am so--but time will show." + +"And do you think that there is any chance of their coming down +here, as well as of going to Paris, papa?" Percy asked. + +"That would depend upon the length of the resistance, Percy. If +France holds out, and refuses to grant any terms which the +Prussians might try to impose upon them, they may overrun half the +country and, as this town is directly upon their way for Lyons--the +second town of France--they are exceedingly likely to come this +way." + +"Well, if they do, papa," Ralph said, with heightened color, "I +feel sure that every man who can carry a gun will go out, and that +every home will be defended." + +"We shall see, Ralph," Captain Barclay said, "we shall see." + +Another pause, and then came the news of that terrible three days' +fighting--on the 14th, 16th, and 18th--near Metz; when Bazaine, his +retreat towards Paris cut off, vainly tried to force his way +through the Prussian army and, failing, fell back into Metz. Even +now, when the position was well-nigh desperate--with the only great +army remaining shut up and surrounded; and with nothing save the +fragment of MacMahon's division, with a few other regiments, +collected in haste, and the new levies, encamped at Chalons, +between the victorious enemy and the capital--the people of France +were scarcely awake to the urgency of the position. The Government +concealed at least a portion of the truth, and the people were only +too ready to be deceived. + +In Dijon, however, the facts were better known, and more +understood. The Swiss newspapers, containing the Prussian official +telegrams and accounts, arrived daily; and those who received them +speedily spread the news through the town. The consternation was +great, and general, but there was no sign of despair. Those of the +Mobiles who were armed and equipped were sent off, at once, to +Chalons. At every corner of the street were placards, calling out +the Mobiles and soldiers who had served their time; and, although +not yet called to arms, the national guard drilled in the Place +d'Armes, morning and evening. + +"You will allow, Richard, that you were mistaken as to the +patriotism of the people," Mrs. Barclay said, one evening, to her +husband. "Everyone is rushing to arms." + +"They are coming out better than I had expected, Melanie; but at +the same time, you will observe that they have no choice in the +matter. The Mobiles are called out, and have to go. All who can +raise the most frivolous pretext for exemption do so. There is a +perfect rush of young men to the Prefecture, to obtain places in +the clothing, medical, arming, and equipping departments; in any +sort of service, in fact, which will exempt its holder from taking +up arms. + +"At the same time, there is a great deal of true, earnest +patriotism. Many married men, with families, have volunteered; and +those belonging to the categories called out do go, as you say, +cheerfully, if not willingly and, once enrolled, appear determined +to do their duty. + +"France will need all the patriotism, and all the devotion of her +people to get through the present crisis. There is no saying how it +will end. I have no hope, whatever, that MacMahon's new army can +arrest the march of the enemy; and his true course is to fall back +upon Paris. Our chance, here, of remaining free from a visit of the +enemy depends entirely upon the length of time which Strasburg and +Metz hold out. Bazaine may be able to cut his way out but, at any +rate, he is likely to remain where he is, for some little time, +under the walls of Metz; for he occupies the attention of a +considerably larger force than that which he commands. + +"The vital point, at present, is to cut the roads behind the +Germans. If it were not for this cork leg of mine, Melanie, I would +try and raise a small guerrilla corps, and set out on my own +account. I have lived here for seventeen years, now, and the French +fought by our side, in the Crimea. Could I do so, I should +certainly fight for France, now. It is clearly the duty of anyone +who can carry a musket to go out." + +Just at this moment the door opened, and Ralph and Percy entered +hastily. They both looked excited, but serious. + +"What is it, boys?" + +"Papa," Ralph said, "there is a notice up, signed by your friend +Captain Tempe. He calls for a hundred volunteers, to join a corps +of franc tireurs--a sort of guerrillas, I believe--to go out to +harass the Germans, and cut their communication. Those who can are +to provide their own arms and equipments. A meeting is to be held, +tonight, for subscribing the money for those who cannot afford to +do so. + +"We have come to ask you to let us join, papa. Louis and Philippe +have just gone to ask uncle's leave." + +Captain Barclay listened in silence, with a very grave face. Their +mother sat down in a chair, with a white face. + +"Oh, my boys, you are too young," she gasped out. + +"We are stronger, mamma, than a great many of the men who have been +called out; and taller and stouter, in every way. We can walk +better than the greater portion of them. We are accustomed to +exercise and fatigue. We are far more fit to be soldiers than many +young men who have gone from here. You said yourself, mamma, that +everyone who could carry a gun ought to go out." + +"But you are not French, boys," Mrs. Barclay said, piteously. + +"We are half French, mamma. Not legally, but it has been home to +us, since we were born and, even if you had not been French, we +ought to fight for her." + +Mrs. Barclay looked at her husband for assistance, but Captain +Barclay had leaned his face in his hands, and said nothing. + +"Ah, Ralph; but Percy at least, he is only fifteen." + +"I am nearly as big, nearly as strong as Ralph, mamma. Besides, +would it not be better to have two of us? If one is ill or--or +wounded--the other could look after him, you know. + +"Mamma, dearest, we have talked it over, and we think we ought to +go. We are very strong for our ages; and it is strength, not years, +which matters. Mamma, you said a Frenchwoman should not grudge +those she loves to France; and that if France was invaded all, even +the women, should go out." + +Mrs. Barclay was silent. She could not speak. She was so deadly +pale, and her face had such an expression of misery, that the boys +felt their resolution wavering. + +Captain Barclay looked up. + +"Boys," he said, very gravely, "I have one question to ask; which +you will answer me truly, upon your faith and honor Do you wish to +go merely--or principally--from a desire to see the excitement and +the adventure of a guerrilla war; or do you go out because you +desire earnestly to do your best, to defend the country in which +you were born, and lived? Are you prepared to suffer any hardship +and, if it is the will of God, to die for her?" + +"We are, papa," both boys said. + +And Ralph went on: + +"When we first talked over the possibility of everyone being called +out--and of our going, too--we did look upon it as a case of fun +and excitement; but when the chance really came, we saw how serious +it was. We knew how much it would cost you, and dear mamma; and we +would not have asked you, had we not felt that we ought to go, even +if we knew we should be killed." + +"In that case, boys," Captain Barclay said, solemnly, rising and +laying one hand on the shoulder of each of his sons, "in that case, +I say no more. You are a soldier's sons, and your example may do +good. It is your duty, and that of everyone, to fight for his +country. I give you my full consent to go. I should not have +advised it. At your age, there was no absolute duty. Still, if you +feel it so, I will not stand in your way. + +"Go then, my boys, and may God watch over you, and keep you, and +send you safe home again." + +So saying, he kissed them both on the forehead, and walked from the +room without saying another word. + +Then the boys turned to their mother, who was crying silently and, +falling upon her neck, they kissed her and cried with her. It was +understood that her consent was given, with their father's. + +Milly, coming in and hearing what was the matter, sat down in +sudden grief and astonishment on the nearest chair, and cried +bitterly. It was a sad half hour, and the boys were almost inclined +to regret that they had asked for leave to go. However, there was +no drawing back now and, when they left their mother, they went on +to tell their cousins that they were going. + +They found Louis and Philippe in a state of great disappointment, +because their father had altogether refused to listen to their +entreaties. Upon hearing, however, that Ralph and Percy were going, +they gained fresh hope; for they said, if English boys could go and +fight for France, it was shameful that French boys should stay at +home, in idleness. + +Captain Barclay, after giving permission to his sons to go as franc +tireurs, first went for a walk by himself, to think over the +consequences of his decision. He then went down into Dijon, and +called upon Captain Tempe. The commander of the proposed corps had +served for many years in the Zouaves, and was known to be an able +and energetic officer. He had left the service, five or six years +previously, upon his marriage. He lived a short distance, only, +from Captain Barclay; and a warm friendship had sprung up between +them. + +Upon Captain Barclay telling him why he had come to see him, +Captain Tempe expressed his satisfaction at the decision of the +young Barclays. + +"I have already the names of one or two lads little, if any, older +than your eldest boy," he said; "and although the other is +certainly very young yet, as he is very stout and strong for his +age, I have no doubt he will bear the fatigue as well as many of +the men." + +"I wish I could go with you," Captain Barclay said. + +"I wish you could, indeed," Captain Tempe replied, warmly; "but +with your leg you never could keep up, on foot; and a horse would +be out of the question, among the forests of the Vosges mountains. + +"You might, however--if you will--be of great use in assisting me +to drill and discipline my recruits, before starting." + +"That I will do, with pleasure," Captain Barclay said. "I had been +thinking of offering my services, in that way, to the municipality; +as very few of the officers of the Mobiles, still less of the +national guard, know their duty. As it is, I will devote myself to +your corps, till they march. + +"In the first place, how strong do you mean them to be?" + +"One strong company, say one hundred and twenty men," Captain Tempe +answered. "More than that would be too unwieldy for guerrilla work. +I would rather have twenty less, than more; indeed, I should be +quite satisfied with a hundred. If I find that volunteers come in, +in greater numbers than I can accept, I shall advise them to get up +other, similar corps. There ought to be scores of small parties, +hanging upon the rear and flank of the enemy, and interrupting his +communication." + +"How do you think of arming them?" + +"Either with chassepots, or with your English rifles. It is of no +use applying to Government. They will not be able to arm the +Mobiles, for months; to say nothing of the national guard. We must +buy the rifles in England, or Belgium. It will be difficult to get +chassepots; so I think the best plan will be to decide, at once, +upon your Sniders." + +"I know a gentleman who is connected with these matters, in +England; and will, if you like, send out an order at once for, say, +eleven dozen Sniders; to be forwarded via Rouen, and thence by +rail." + +"I should be very glad if you would do so," Captain Tempe said. "I +have no doubt about getting that number of recruits, easily enough. +I have had a good many calls already, this morning; and several +thousand francs of subscription have been promised. In another +three or four days, the money will be ready; so if you write to +your friends, to make an agreement with a manufacturer, I can give +you the money by the time his answer arrives. When the guns arrive, +those who can pay for them will do so, and the rest will be paid +for by the subscriptions. + +"Of course, we shall want them complete with bayonets. If, at the +same time, you can order ammunition--say, two hundred rounds for +each rifle--it would be, perhaps, a saving of time; as the +Government may not be able to supply any, at first. However, after +the meeting, this evening, I shall see how the subscriptions come +in; and we can settle on these points, tomorrow. The municipality +will help, I have no doubt." + +"What is your idea as to equipment, Tempe?" + +"As light as possible. Nothing destroys the go of men more than to +be obliged to carry heavy weights on their shoulders. We shall be +essentially guerrillas Our attacks, to be successful, must be +surprises. Speed, therefore, and the power to march long distances, +are the first of essentials. + +"I do not propose to carry knapsacks--mere haversacks, bags capable +of containing a spare shirt, a couple of pairs of socks, and three +days' biscuits. Each man must also carry a spare pair of boots, +strapped to his belt, behind. A thick blanket--with a hole cut for +the head, so as to make a cloak by day, a cover by night--will be +carried, rolled up over one shoulder like a scarf; and each man +should carry a light, waterproof coat. + +"I do not propose to take even tents d'abri. They add considerably +to the weight and, unless when we are actually engaged in +expeditions, we shall make our headquarters at some village; when +the men can be dispersed among the cottages, or sleep in stables, +or barns. When on expeditions, they must sleep in the open air." + +"I quite approve of your plan," Captain Barclay said. "Exclusive of +his rifle and ammunition, the weight need not be above fifteen +pounds a man and, with this, they ought to be able to march, and +fight, with comfort. The way your soldiers march out, laden like +beasts of burden, is absurd. It is impossible for men either to +march, or fight, with a heavy load upon their backs. + +"Have you thought about uniform?" + +"No, I have not settled at all. I thought of letting the men fix +upon one of their own choice." + +"Do nothing of the sort," Captain Barclay said. "The men will only +think of what is most becoming, or picturesque. You cannot do +better than fix upon some good, serviceable uniform of a +dark-grayish color; something similar to that of some of our +English Volunteer Corps. I will give you a drawing of it. + +"Let the tunics be made of a thick and good cloth. Let the men have +short trousers--or, as we call them, knickerbockers--with leather +gaiters and lace boots. The shoes of your soldier are altogether a +mistake. I will bring you a sketch, tomorrow; and you will see that +it is neat, as well as serviceable." + +"Thank you. + +"By the way, I suppose that you have no objection to my mentioning, +at the meeting this evening, that your sons have joined? If there +should be any inclination to hang back--which I hope there will not +be--the fact that your boys have joined may decide many who would +otherwise hesitate." + +"Certainly. + +"I will not detain you longer, at present. I shall see you in a day +or two, and any assistance which I can give is at your service." + +"Thanks very much. I only wish that you could go with us. + +"Goodbye. Tell the boys that their names are down, and that we +shall begin drill in a day or two." + + + +Chapter 3: Death To The Spy! + + +The next morning Madame Duburg arrived, at ten o'clock; an hour at +which she had never, as far as Mrs. Barclay knew, turned out of her +house since her marriage. She was actually walking fast, too. It +was evident that something serious was the matter. + +Mrs. Barclay was in the garden, and her visitor came straight out +from the house to her. + +"Is anything the matter?" was Mrs. Barclay's first question. + +"Yes, a great deal is the matter," Madame Duburg began, vehemently. +"You and your English husband are mad. Your wretched boys are mad. +They have made my sons mad, also; and--my faith--I believe that my +husband will catch it. It is enough to make me, also, mad." + +Notwithstanding the trouble in which Mrs. Barclay was, at the +resolution of her sons, she could scarcely help smiling at the +excitement of Madame Duburg; the cause of which she at once +guessed. However, she asked, with an air of astonishment: + +"My dear sister-in-law, what can you be talking about?" + +"I know what I say," Madame Duburg continued. "I always said that +you were mad, you and your husband, to let your boys go about and +play, and tear and bruise themselves like wild Indians. I always +knew that harm would come of it, when I saw my boys come in +hot--oh, so unpleasantly hot, to look at--but I did not think of +such harm as this. My faith, it is incredible. When I heard that +you were to marry yourself to an Englishman, I said at once: + +"'It is bad, harm will come of it. These English are islanders. +They are eccentric. They are mad. They sell their wives in the +market, with a cord round their neck.'" + +"My dear sister-in-law," Mrs. Barclay interrupted, "I have so often +assured you that that absurd statement was entirely false; and due +only to the absolute ignorance, of our nation, of everything +outside itself." + +"I have heard it often," Madame Duburg went on, positively. "They +are a nation of singularities. I doubt not that it is true, he has +hidden the truth from you. True or false, I care not. They are mad. +For this I care not. My faith, I have not married an Englishman. +Why, then, should I care for the madness of this nation of +islanders? + +"This I said, when I heard that you were to marry an Englishman. +Could I imagine that I, also, was to become a victim? Could I +suppose that my husband--a man sensible in most things--would also +become mad; that my boys would grow up like young savages, and +would offer themselves to go out to sleep without beds, to catch +colds, to have red noses and coughs, perhaps even--my faith--to be +killed by the balls of German pigs? My word of honor, I ask myself: + +"'Am I living in France? Am I asleep? Am I dreaming? Am I, too, +mad?' + +"I said to myself: + +"'I shall go to my sister-in-law, and I will demand of her, is it +possible that these things are true?'" + +"If you mean by all this, sister-in-law, is it true that I have +consented to my boys going out to fight for France, it is quite +true," Mrs. Barclay said, quietly. + +Madame Duburg sat down upon a garden seat, raised her hands, and +nodded her head slowly and solemnly. + +"She says it is true, she actually says that it is true." + +"Why should they not go?" Mrs. Barclay continued, quietly. "They +are strong enough to carry arms, and why should they not go out to +defend their country? In a short time, it is likely that everyone +who can carry arms will have to go. I shall miss them sorely, it is +a terrible trial; but other women have to see their sons go out, +why should not I?" + +"Because there is no occasion for it, at all," Madame Duburg said, +angrily; "because they are boys and not men, because their father +is English; and stupid men like my husband will say, if these young +English boys go, it will be a shame upon us for our own to remain +behind. + +"What, I ask you, is the use of being well off? What is the use of +paying taxes for an army, if our boys must fight? It is absurd, it +is against reason, it is atrocious." + +Madame Duburg's anger and remonstrance were, alike, lost upon Mrs. +Barclay; and she cut her visitor short. + +"My dear sister-in-law, it is of no use arguing or talking. I +consider, rightly or wrongly, that the claims of our country stand +before our private convenience, or inconvenience. If I were a man, +I should certainly go out to fight; why should not my boys do so, +if they choose? At any rate, I have given my consent, and it is too +late to draw back, even if I wished to do so--which I say, frankly, +that I do not." + +Madame Duburg took her departure, much offended and, late in the +evening, her husband came in and had a long talk with Captain +Barclay. The following morning Louis and Philippe came in--in a +high state of delight--to say that their father had, that morning, +given his consent to their going. + +In three days after the opening of the list, a hundred and twenty +men had inscribed their names; and Captain Tempe refused to admit +more. Numbers were, he argued, a source of weakness rather than of +strength, when the men were almost entirely ignorant of drill. For +sudden attacks, for night marches, for attacks upon convoys, number +is less needed than dash and speed. Among large bodies discipline +cannot be kept up, except by immense severity upon the part of the +officers; or by the existence of that feeling of discipline and +obedience, among the men, which is gained only by long custom to +military habits. Besides which, the difficulty of obtaining +provisions for a large body of men would be enormous. + +Indeed, Captain Tempe determined to organize even this small corps +into four companies, each of thirty men; to act under one head, and +to join together upon all occasions of important expeditions; but +at other times to be divided among villages, at such distance as +would enable them to watch a large extent of country, each company +sending out scouts and outposts in its own neighborhood. + +By far the larger proportion of those who joined were either +proprietors, or the sons of proprietors, in and around Dijon. At +that time Government had made no arrangement, whatever, concerning +franc tireurs; and no pay was, therefore, available. The invitation +was, therefore, especially to those willing and able to go out upon +their own account, and at their own expense. Other recruits had +been invited but, as these could join the regular forces and +receive pay, and other advantages, the number who sent in their +names was small. The men who did so were, for the most part, picked +men; foresters, wood cutters, and others who preferred the +certainty of active and stirring service, among the franc tireurs, +to the pay and comparative monotony of the regular service. There +were some forty of these men among the corps, the rest being all +able to provide at least their outfit. Subscriptions had come in +rapidly and, in a week, an ample sum was collected to arm and equip +all those not able to do so for themselves; and to form a military +chest sufficient to pay for the food of the whole corps, in the +field, for some time. + +When the list of volunteers was complete, a meeting was held at +which, for the first time, the future comrades met. Besides Ralph +and Percy, and their cousins, there were six or eight others of +their school friends, all lads of about sixteen. It was an +important moment in their lives, when they then felt themselves--if +not actually men--at least, as going to do the work of men. Upon +the table in the room in which the meeting was held was a document, +which each in turn was to sign and, behind this, Captain Tempe took +his seat. + +As many of those present knew each other, there was a considerable +buzz and talk in the room, until Captain Tempe tapped the table for +silence, and then rose to speak. + +"My friends," he began, "--for I cannot call you comrades, until +you have formally entered your names--before you irrevocably commit +yourselves to this affair, I wish you each to know exactly what it +is that we are going to do. This will be no holiday expedition. I +can promise all who go with me plenty of excitement, and a great +deal of fighting; but I can also promise them, with equal +certainty, an immense deal of suffering--an amount of hardship and +privation of which, at present, few here have any idea, whatever. +The winter is fast coming on, and winter in the Vosges mountains is +no trifle. Let no one, then, put down his name here who is not +prepared to suffer every hardship which it is well possible to +suffer. + +"As to the danger, I say nothing. You are Frenchmen; and have come +forward to die, if needs be, for your country." + +Here the speaker was interrupted by loud cheering, and cries of +"Vive la France!" + +"Next, as to discipline. This is an extremely important point. In +our absence from military stations, it is essential that we, +ourselves, should keep and enforce the strictest discipline. I have +this morning received from General Palikao--under whom I served, +for many years--an answer to an application I wrote to him, a week +since. He highly approves of my plan of cutting the roads behind +the Prussians, and only wishes that he had a hundred small corps +out upon the same errand. He has already received other proposals +of the same nature. He enclosed, with his letter, my formal +appointment as Commandant of the Corps of Franc Tireurs of Dijon; +with full military authority, and power." + +Great cheering again broke out. + +"This power, in case of need, I warn you that I shall use +unhesitatingly. Discipline, in a corps like ours, is everything. +There must be no murmuring, under hardships; no hesitation in +obeying any order, however unpleasant. Prompt, willing, cheerful +obedience when at work; a warm friendship, and perfect good +fellowship at other times: this is my programme." + +The speaker was again interrupted with hearty cheering. + +"I intend to divide the corps into four companies, each of thirty +men. Each company will have an officer; and will, at times, act +independently of each other. I have deliberated whether it is best +to allow each company to choose its own officer, or whether to +nominate them myself. I have determined to adopt the latter course. +You can hardly be such good judges, as to the qualities required by +officers during an expedition like the present, as I am; and as I +know every man here, and as I shall have the opportunity of seeing +more of each man, during the three weeks which we shall spend here +upon drill, I shall then choose an officer for each company; but I +will leave it to each company to decide whether to accept my +choice, or not. There may be points in a man's character which may +make him unpopular. + +"Now, as to drill. We have three weeks before us. Not long enough +to make men good soldiers; but amply sufficient--with hard work--to +make them good skirmishers. I have already arranged with four men +who have served as non-commissioned officers in the army, one of +whom will take each company. + +"Captain Barclay--who is well known to most of you--has kindly +offered to give musketry instruction, for four hours each morning. +Ten men of each company will go, each morning for a week, to drill +at the range; so that, in three weeks, each man will have had a +week's instruction. The hours will be from seven to eleven. The +others will drill during the same hours. + +"All will drill together, in the afternoon, from three to six. The +officer commanding the troops, here, has promised us the loan of a +hundred and twenty old guns, which are in store; and also of twenty +chassepots for rifle practice. + +"That is all I have to say. All who are ready and willing to enter, +upon these terms, can now sign their names. Those who are not +perfectly sure of their own willingness can draw back, before it is +too late." + +When the cheering ceased, each man came forward and signed his +name. + +"The first parade will take place, at seven tomorrow morning, in +the Place d'Armes. A suit of uniform, complete, will be exhibited +here at twelve o'clock. A man has offered to supply them, at +contract prices; but any who prefer it can have it made by their +own tailor. + +"Now, good night, boys." + +"Vive les franc tireurs du Dijon!" + +"Vive la France!" and, with a cheer, the men separated. + +The next morning the corps met, and were divided into companies. +The division was alphabetical, and the young Barclays and Duburgs +were all in the first company. This was a matter of great pleasure +to them, as they had been afraid that they might have been +separated. + +The following day, drill began in earnest and, accustomed as the +boys were to exercise, they found seven hours a day hard work of +it. Still, they felt it very much less than many of the young men +who, for years, had done little but lounge in cafes, or stroll at +the promenade. All, however, stuck to their work and, as their +hearts were in it, it was surprising how quickly they picked up the +rudiments of drill. Fortunately, they were not required to learn +anything beyond the management of their firearms, the simplest +movements, and the duty of skirmishers; as all complicated +maneuvers would have been useless, in a small corps whose duties +would be confined entirely to skirmishing. + +With this branch of their work, Captain Tempe was determined that +they should be thoroughly acquainted, and they were taught how to +use cover of all kinds with advantage; how to defend a building, +crenelate a wall, fell trees to form an obstacle across roads, or a +breastwork in front of them; and how to throw themselves into +square, rapidly, to repel cavalry. + +Captain Barclay was indefatigable as a musketry instructor and, +with the aid of a few friends, got up a subscription which was +spent in a number of small prizes, so as to give the men as much +interest as possible in their work. Captain Tempe impressed most +strenuously, upon the men, the extreme importance of proficiency in +shooting; as it was upon the accuracy and deadliness of their fire +that they would have to rely, to enable them to contend with +superior forces in the combats they would have to go through; and +each man would probably have frequently to depend, for his life, +upon the accuracy of his fire. + +The original plan--of instructing a third of the men, each week, in +musketry--was abandoned; and the parties were changed each day, in +order to enable all to advance at an equal rate. Besides, their +ammunition was supplied; so that those who chose to do so could +practice shooting, for their own amusement, between their morning +and afternoon drill. + +The Barclays were constant in their attendance at the shooting +ground; and the steady hand and eye which cricket, fencing, and +other exercises had given them now stood them in good stead for, by +the end of the time, they became as good marksmen as any in the +corps. They still lived at home, as did all those members of the +corps whose residences were in and around Dijon. For those who +lived too far away to come in and out every day to drill, a large +empty barn was taken, and fitted up as a temporary barracks. + +The time did not pass away without great excitement for, as the end +of August drew on, everyone was watching, in deep anxiety, for the +news of a battle near Chalons--where MacMahon had been organizing a +fresh army. Then came the news that the camp at Chalons was broken +up, and that MacMahon was marching to the relief of Bazaine. Two or +three days of anxious expectation followed; and then--on the 3rd of +September--came the news, through Switzerland, of the utter defeat +and surrender of the French army, at Sedan. + +At first, the news seemed too terrible to be true. People seemed +stunned at the thought of a hundred thousand Frenchmen laying down +their arms. Two days later came the news of the revolution in +Paris. This excited various emotions among the people; but the +prevailing idea seemed to be that--now there was a republic--past +disasters would be retrieved. + +"What do you think of the news, papa?" the boys asked as, drill +over, they hurried up to talk the matter over with their father. + +"With any other people, I should consider it to be the most +unfortunate event which could have possibly occurred," Captain +Barclay said. "A change of Government--involving a change of +officials throughout all the departments, and a perfect upset of +the whole machinery of organization--appears little short of +insanity. At the same time, it is possible that it may arouse such +a burst of national enthusiasm that the resistance which, as far as +the civil population is concerned, has as yet been contemptible--in +fact, has not been attempted at all--may become of so obstinate and +desperate a character that the Prussians may be fairly wearied out. + +"There is scarcely any hope of future victories in the field. Raw +levies, however plucky, can be no match for such troops as the +Prussians, in the open. The only hope is in masses of franc tireurs +upon the rear and flanks of the enemy. Every bridge, every wood, +every village should be defended to the death. In this way the +Prussians would only hold the ground they stand on; and it would be +absolutely impossible for them to feed their immense armies, or to +bring up their siege materiel against Paris. + +"The spirit to do this may possibly be excited by the revolution; +otherwise, France is lost. Success alone can excuse it; for a more +senseless, more unjustifiable, more shameful revolution was, in my +mind, never made. It has been effected purely by the Radicals and +roughs of Paris--the men who have, for years, been advocating a war +with Prussia; and who, a month ago, were screaming 'To Berlin.' For +these men to turn round upon the Emperor in his misfortune and, +without consulting the rest of France, to effect a revolution, is +in my mind simply infamous. + +"Even regarded as a matter of policy, it is bad in the extreme. +Austria, Italy, and Russia--to say nothing of England--would, +sooner or later, have interfered in favor of an established empire; +but their sympathies will be chilled by this revolution. The +democratic party in all these countries may exult, but the extreme +democratic party do not hold the reins of power anywhere; and their +monarchs will certainly not feel called upon to assist to establish +a republic. + +"Prussia herself--intensely aristocratic in her institutions--will +probably refuse to treat, altogether, with the schemers who have +seized the power; for the King of Prussia is perhaps the greatest +hater of democracy in Europe. + +"Still, boys, these changes make no difference in your duty. You +are fighting for France, not for an empire or a republic and, as +long as France resists, it is your duty to continue. In fact, it is +now more than ever the duty of you, and of every Frenchman, to +fight. Her army is entirely gone; and it is simply upon the pluck +and energy of her population that she has to trust." + +"Do you think Paris will hold out, papa?" + +"She is sure to do so, boys. She has made the revolution, and she +is bound to defend it. I know Paris well. The fortifications are +far too strong to be taken by a sudden attack, and it will be a +long time before the Prussians can bring up a siege train. Paris +will only be starved out and, if her people are only half as brave +as they are turbulent, they ought to render it impossible for the +Prussians to blockade such an immense circle. At any rate, France +has two months; perhaps much longer, but two months ought to be +quite enough, if her people have but spirit to surround the enemy, +to cut off his supplies, and to force him to retreat." + +The next morning, when the corps assembled for drill, Captain Tempe +addressed them on the subject of the events in Paris. He told them +that, whether they approved or disapproved of what had taken place +there, their duty as Frenchmen was plain. For the present they were +not politicians, but patriots; and he hoped that not a word of +politics would be spoken in the corps, but that everyone would give +his whole thought, his whole strength and, if must be, his life in +the cause of France. + +His address was greatly applauded, and gave immense satisfaction to +the men; for already differences of opinion were becoming manifest +among them. Some had exulted loudly at the downfall of Napoleon; +others had said little, but their gloomy looks had testified +sufficiently what were their opinions; while many among the +gentlemen in the corps, especially those belonging to old families, +were well known to be attached either to a Legitimist or Orleanist +Prince. The proposal, therefore, that no politics should be +discussed during the war, but that all should remember only that +they were fighting for France, gave great satisfaction; and +promised a continuance of the good fellowship which had hitherto +reigned in the corps. + +It was a great day when, a fortnight from its first organization, +the corps turned out for the first time in their uniforms. The band +of the national guard headed them, as they marched down the high +street of Dijon to the parade ground; and--as the spectators +cheered, the ladies waved their handkerchiefs, and the whole corps +joined in cheers, to the stirring notes of the Marseillaise--the +young Barclays felt their cheeks flush, their hands tighten upon +their rifles, and their hearts beat with a fierce longing to be +face to face with the hated Prussians. + +A day or two after this, the Snider rifles ordered from England by +Captain Barclay arrived; and although the men at first preferred +the chassepots, with which they were familiar, they were soon +accustomed to the new weapons; and readily acknowledged the +advantage which--as their commander pointed out to them--the +dark-brown barrels possessed, for skirmishers, over the bright +barrels of the chassepots which, with the sun shining upon them, +would betray them to an enemy miles away. + +A day or two afterwards, as Ralph and Percy were returning in the +evening from drill, they heard a great tumult in the streets. They +hurried forward to see what was the matter, and found an excited +crowd shouting and gesticulating. + +"Death to the spy!" + +"Death to the spy!" + +"Hang him!" + +"Kill the dog!" were the shouts, and two gendarmes in the center of +the crowd were vainly trying to protect a man who was walking +between them. He was a tall, powerful-looking man; but it was +impossible to see what he was like, for the blood was streaming +down his forehead, from a blow he had just received. + +Just as the boys came up, another blow from a stick fell on his +head; and this served to rouse him to desperation, for he turned +round, with one blow knocked down the fellow who had struck him, +and then commenced a furious attack upon his persecutors. For a +moment they drew back, and then closed upon him again. Blows from +sticks and hands rained upon him, but he struggled desperately. At +last, overwhelmed by numbers, he fell; and as he did so he raised a +wild shout, "Hurroo for ould Ireland." + +"He is an Englishman, Percy," Ralph exclaimed; "he is not a +Prussian, at all. Come on! + +"Here, Louis, Philippe, help; they are killing an Englishman." + +Followed by their cousins--who had just arrived at the spot--the +boys made a rush through the crowd; and arrived in another moment +by the prostrate man, whom his assailants were kicking savagely. +The rush of the four boys--aided by the butt-end of their rifles, +which they used freely on the ribs of those who stood in their +way--cleared off the assailants for an instant; and the two +gendarmes--who had been hustled away--drawing their swords, again +took their place by the side of their insensible prisoner. + +The mob had only recoiled for a moment; and now, furious at being +baulked of their expected prey, prepared to rush upon his +defenders; shouting, as they did so: + +"Death to the spy!" + +The moment's delay had, however, given time to the boys to fix +bayonets. + +Illustration: Rescue of a Supposed Spy. + +"Keep off," Ralph shouted, "or we run you through! The man is not a +spy, I tell you. He is an Englishman." + +The noise was too great for the words to be heard and, with cries +of "Death to the spy!" the men in front prepared for a rush. The +leveled bayonets and drawn swords, however, for a moment checked +their ardor; but those behind kept up the cry, and a serious +conflict would have ensued, had not a party of five or six of the +franc tireurs come along at the moment. + +These--seeing their comrades standing with leveled bayonets, +keeping the mob at bay--without asking any questions, at once burst +their way through to their side; distributing blows right and left, +heartily, with the butt-end of their rifles. This reinforcement put +an end to the threatened conflict; and the gendarmes, aided by two +of the franc tireurs, lifted the insensible man and carried him to +the Maine; the rest of the franc tireurs marching on either side as +a guard, and the yelling crowd following them. + +Once inside the Maine the gates were shut and--the supposed spy +being laid down on the bench--cold water was dashed in his face; +and in a few minutes he opened his eyes. + +"The murdering villains!" he muttered to himself. "They've kilt me +entirely, bad luck to them! A hundred to one, the cowardly +blackguards! + +"Where am I?" and he made an effort to rise. + +"You're all right," Ralph said. "You're with friends. Don't be +afraid, you're safe now." + +"Jabers!" exclaimed the Irishman in astonishment, sitting up and +looking round him, "here's a little French soldier, speaking as +illegant English as I do, meself." + +"I'm English," laughed Ralph, "and lucky it was for you that we +came along. We heard you call out, just as you fell; and got in in +time, with the help of our friends, to save your life. Another +minute or two, and we should have been too late." + +"God bless your honor!" the man--who had now thoroughly recovered +himself--said earnestly. "And it was a tight shave, entirely. +You've saved Tim Doyle's life; and your honor shall see that he's +not ungrateful. Whenever you want a lad with a strong arm and a +thick stick, Tim's the boy." + +"Thank you, Tim," Ralph said, heartily. "Now you had better let the +surgeon look at your head. You have got some nasty cuts." + +"Sure, and my head's all right, your honor It isn't a tap from a +Frenchman that would break the skull of Tim Doyle." + +The gendarmes now intimated that, as the prisoner was restored, he +must go in at once before the Maire. The young Barclays accompanied +him, and acted as interpreters at the examination. The story was a +simple one, and the passport and other papers upon the Irishman +proved its truth conclusively. + +Tim was an Irishman, who had come out as groom with an English +gentleman. His master had fallen ill at Lyons, had parted with his +horses and carriage, and returned to England. Tim had accepted the +offer of the horse dealer who had purchased the horses to remain in +his service, and had been with him six months when the war broke +out. He had picked up a little French, but had been several times +arrested in Lyons, as a spy; and his master had at last told him +that it was not safe for him to remain, and that he had better +return to England. + +He had reached Dijon on that morning; but the train, instead of +going on, had been stopped, as large numbers of Mobiles were +leaving for Paris, and the ordinary traffic was suspended. Tim had +therefore passed the day strolling about Dijon. The hour had +approached at which he had been told that a train might leave, and +Tim had asked a passer by the way to the station. + +His broken French at once aroused suspicion. A crowd collected in a +few minutes; and Tim was, in the first place, saved from being +attacked by the arrival of two gendarmes upon the scene. He had at +once told them that he was English, and had produced his passport; +and they had decided upon taking him to the Maire, for the +examination of his papers--but on the way the crowd, increased by +fresh arrivals, had determined to take the law into their own +hands; and only the arrival of the young Barclays, and their +cousins, had saved his life. + +The Maire saw at once, upon examination of the papers, that the +story was correct; and pronounced that Tim was at liberty to go +where he pleased. The poor fellow, however--though he made light of +his wounds and bruises--was much shaken; and it would, moreover, +have been dangerous for him to venture again into the streets of +Dijon. Ralph therefore at once offered to take him out, and to give +him a night's shelter; an offer which the Irishman accepted, with +many thanks. + +It was now getting dark and, accompanied by their cousins, the +Barclays were let out with Tim Doyle from a back entrance to the +Maine; and made their way unnoticed through the town; and arrived, +half an hour later, at home. Captain and Mrs. Barclay, upon hearing +the story, cordially approved of what the boys had done; and +Captain Barclay having--in spite of Tim's earnest remonstrance that +it was of no consequence in the world--put some wet rags upon the +most serious of the wounds, bandaged up his head, and sent him at +once to bed. + +In the morning, when the lads started for drill, the Irishman was +still in bed; but when they returned to dinner, they found him +working in the garden, as vigorously as if the events of the +previous day had been a mere dream. When he saw them coming, he +stuck his spade into the ground and went forward to meet them. + +"God bless your honors, but I'm glad to see you again; and to thank +you for saving my life, which them bastes had made up their minds +they were going to have. I ain't good at talking, your honors; but +if it's the last drop of my blood that would be of any use to you, +you'd be heartily welcome to it." + +"I am very glad we arrived in time, Tim," Ralph said. "And it's +lucky for you that you shouted 'Hurrah for old Ireland!' as you +went down; for of course we had no idea you were a countryman and, +although we were disgusted at the brutality of that cowardly mob, +we could hardly have interfered between them and a German spy. + +"What are you thinking of doing now? It will hardly be safe for you +to travel through France while this madness about spies lasts for, +with your broken French, you would be getting taken up continually." + +"I'm not thinking of it at all, your honor," the Irishman said. +"The master has been telling me that your honors are starting for +the war, and so I've made up my mind that I shall go along wid ye." + +The boys laughed. + +"You are not in earnest, Tim?" + +"As sure as the Gospels, your honor I've served five years in the +Cork Militia, and wore the badge as a marksman; and so I mean to +'list, and go as your honors' sarvint." + +"But you can't do that, Tim, even if we would let you," Ralph +laughed. "There won't be any servants at all." + +"Sure, your honor is mistaken, entirely," Tim said, gravely. "In +the sarvice, a soldier is always told off as a sarvint for each +officer." + +"But we are not going as officers, Tim," Percy said. "We are going +as simple soldiers." + +"What! Going as privates?" Tim Doyle said, in astonishment. "Does +your honor mane to say that you are going to shoulder a firelock, +and just go as privates?" + +"That's it, Tim. You see, this is not a regular regiment; it is a +corps of irregulars, and more than half the privates are +gentlemen." + +"Holy Mother!" ejaculated Tim, in astonishment, "did one ever hear +of the like?" + +Then, after a pause: + +"Then your honor will want a sarvint more than iver. Who is to +clean your boots, and to pipeclay your belts; to wash your linen, +to clean your firelock, and cook your dinners, and pitch your tent, +if you don't have a sarvint? The thing's against nature, entirely." + +"We shall do it all ourselves, Tim--that is to say, as far as +cleaning the rifles, washing our linen, and cooking the dinner. As +for the other things, I don't suppose we shall ever have our boots +cleaned; we have no white belts to pipeclay, for they are made of +buff leather; and we shall not have to pitch tents, for we don't +take them with us, but shall, when necessary, sleep in the open +air." + +Tim was too surprised to speak, for a time. At last, he said +doggedly: + +"Sarvint or no sarvint, your honor, it is evident that it's rough +times you're going to have; and Tim Doyle will be there with you, +as sure as the piper." + +"We should like you with us very much, Tim, if you make up your +mind to go," Ralph said; "but the corps is quite full. We have +refused dozens of recruits." + +Tim looked downcast. At last he said: + +"Well, your honor, it may be that they won't have me as a soldier; +but I'll go sure enough, if I die for it. There's no law to punish +a man for walking after a regiment of soldiers and, wherever your +regiment goes, sure enough I'll tramp after ye. There's many an odd +way I might make myself useful, and they'll soon get used to see me +about, and let me come and go into the camp." + +No persuasion could alter Tim's determination and, as they felt +that having so attached a fellow near them might be of real +utility, and comfort, when the boys went down in the afternoon they +spoke to Captain Tempe about it. At first he said that it was +impossible, as he had already refused so many offers of service; +but upon hearing all the story, and thinking the matter over, he +said suddenly: + +"By the bye, there is a way by which he might go with us. You know +I have ordered a light two-wheel cart, built very strong for the +mountains, to carry our spare ammunition, powder for blowing up +bridges, cooking pots, and stores. I have not engaged a driver as +yet. If your Irishman--who you say understands horses--likes to go +as a driver, to begin with, I will promise him the first vacant +rifle. I fear that he will not have long to wait, after we once get +near the enemy; and as he has already served, you say, he will be +better than a new recruit, and we can get a countryman to take his +place with the cart." + +Upon their return in the evening with the news, Tim Doyle's joy +knew no bound; and he whooped and shouted, till Milly laughed so +that she had to beg of him to stop. + +The next day, Tim went down with Captain Barclay and signed the +engagement. He remained with the captain during the time that the +latter was giving his instructions in musketry--entering upon his +duties in connection with the corps by going down to the butts, and +acting as marker--and then returned with him to the cottage; as it +was agreed that he had better remain there, quietly, until the +corps was ready to march--as, if he were to venture alone in the +town, he might at any time be subject to a repetition of the attack +upon the day of his arrival. + +At the cottage he soon became a general favorite His desire to make +himself useful in any way, his fund of fun and good temper, pleased +everyone. Even Marie and Jeannette--the two servants, who could not +understand a word of what he said--were in a constant broad grin, +at the pantomime by which he endeavored to eke out his few words of +French. Milly became quite attached to him; and Captain and Mrs. +Barclay both felt cheered, and comforted, at the thought that this +devoted fellow would be at hand to look after and assist the boys, +in time of danger, suffering, or sickness. + + + +Chapter 4: Starting For The Vosges. + + +The day for the departure of the corps was near at hand. The party +at the Barclays were all filled with sadness, at the thoughts of +separation; but all strove to hide their feelings, for the sake of +the others. Captain and Mrs. Barclay were anxious that the boys +should leave in good spirits, and high hope; while the boys wished +to keep up an appearance of merely going upon an ordinary +excursion, in order to cheer their parents. + +The day before starting, the whole corps marched to the cathedral; +where mass was celebrated, a sermon preached, and a blessing +solemnly prayed for for them. The boys had asked their father if he +had any objections to their taking part in this ceremonial, in a +Roman Catholic Church; but Captain Barclay had at once said that, +upon the contrary, he should wish them to do so. Protestants might +not approve of many things in the Catholic Church; but that could +be no reason, whatever, against a Protestant taking part in a +solemn prayer to God, wherever that prayer might be offered up. + +The young Duburgs were unaffectedly glad that the time for their +departure had come, for the month that had passed had been a most +unpleasant one to them. Their mother had in vain tried to persuade +them to stay; first by entreaty, and then by anger and, finding +these means fail, she had passed her time either in sullen silence, +or in remaining in bed; declaring that her nerves were utterly +shattered, and that she should never survive it. She had refused to +see Mrs. Barclay when the latter called, a day or two after their +visit to the cottage, and she had not been near her since. Julie +and Justine were forbidden to go in to see Milly and, altogether, +there was quite an estrangement between the two families. + +The boys however were, of course, constantly together; and Monsieur +Duburg came in as usual, every day or two, for a chat with Captain +Barclay. + +September the fifteenth--the day of separation--arrived. They were +to march at eight in the morning; and left home, therefore, at +seven. This was so far fortunate that it left less time for the +painful adieus. Captain Barclay had a long talk with the boys the +night before, repeating all the hints and instructions which he had +before given them. + +It is not necessary to describe the parting. Every one of my +readers can imagine for themselves how sad was the scene. How Milly +sobbed aloud, in spite of her efforts; how Mrs. Barclay kissed her +boys, and then ran up to her own room to cry alone; how their +father wrung their hands and, after giving them his blessing, +turned hastily away, that they might not see the tears which he +could not keep back; and how the boys, in spite of their uniform +and their dignity as soldiers, cried, too. Tim Doyle had gone on an +hour before, taking their blankets; so they had nothing to do but +to snatch up their guns and hasten away, half blinded with tears, +towards the town. They reached it just as the bugle sounded the +assembly. By this time they had steadied themselves and, in the +work of preparing for the start, soon lost all feeling of +despondency. + +It would be difficult to find a more workmanlike little corps than +the franc tireurs of Dijon as, with the band of the national guard +at their head, playing the Marseillaise, they marched through the +old city. Their uniform was a brownish gray Their blankets--rolled +up tight and carried, like a scarf, over one shoulder and under the +other arm--were brown, also. Their belts and gaiters were of buff +leather. Their caps had flat peaks, to shade their eyes; but round +the cap was rolled a flap lined with fur, which let down over the +ears and back of the neck, tying under the chin. On the outer side +of the fur was thin India-rubber, to throw the rain off down over +the light waterproof cloaks; which each man carried in a small +case, slung to his belt. The waterproof on the caps, when rolled +up, did not show; the caps then looking like fur caps, with a peak. + +Slung over the shoulder, on the opposite side to the blanket, was a +haversack--or stout canvas bag--brown like the rest of the +equipments. Each bag was divided into two compartments; the larger +one holding a spare shirt, a few pairs of socks and handkerchiefs, +a comb, and other small necessaries. In the other, bread, biscuits +or other provisions could be carried. Each man had also a water +bottle, slung over his shoulder. + +On either side of the ammunition pouch, behind, was strapped a new +boot; so placed that it in no way interfered with the bearer +getting at the pouch. Next was fastened the tin box; the lid of +which forms a plate, the bottom a saucepan or frying pan. On one +side hung the bayonet; upon the other a hatchet, a pick, or a +short-handled shovel--each company having ten of each implement. + +It will be judged that this was a heavy load, but the articles were +all necessaries; and the weight over and above the rifle and +ammunition was not--even including the pick or shovel--more than +half that ordinarily carried by a French soldier. + +At the head of the corps marched its commandant. The French term +commandant answers to an English major, and he will therefore in +future be termed Major Tempe. Each of the four companies was also +headed by its officer. Major Tempe had chosen for these posts four +men who, like himself, had served--three in the army, and one in +the navy. He had written to them as soon as the corps was +organized, and they had arrived ten days before the start. One or +two only of the franc tireurs--who had entertained a hope of being +made officers--were at first a little discontented but, as it was +evidently vastly to the advantage of the corps to have experienced +officers, the appointments gave great satisfaction to the rest of +the men. Fortunately, there were in the ranks several men who had +served as privates or non-commissioned officers; and from these +Major Tempe selected a sergeant, and a corporal, for each company. + +Behind the corps followed the cart; loaded with the stores of the +corps, a considerable amount of ammunition, two or three cases of +gun cotton for blowing up bridges, several small barrels of powder, +a large quantity of fine iron wire, three or four crowbars, bags of +coffee and rice, and a keg of brandy, four kettles and as many +large saucepans, together with all sorts of odds and ends. By the +side of the horse walked Tim Doyle; dressed in the uniform of the +corps, but without the equipments, and with a long blouse worn over +his tunic. He was, in fact, already enrolled as an active member of +the corps. This was done, in the first place, at his own earnest +request; and upon the plea that thus only could he escape the +chance of being seized as a spy, whenever he might for a moment be +separated from the corps; and also that, unless he had a uniform +like the rest, how could he take any vacancy in the ranks, even +when it should occur? + +Major Tempe, in exceeding the hundred and twenty determined upon, +was influenced partly by these arguments; but more by the fact that +difficulties would arise about food, cooking, and various other +points, if the driver were not upon the same footing as the rest of +the corps. + +The march was not a long one--only to the railway station. A few +carriages, with a truck for the cart, and a horse box, were drawn +up alongside the platform in readiness; and in ten minutes more all +were in their places, the carriages attached to the ordinary train +and--amidst great cheering and waving of handkerchiefs and hats, +from hundreds of people collected in the station to see them +off--they started for the Vosges. + +Railway traveling, at no time rapid, was extremely slow at this +period; and it was evening before they arrived at Epinal, where +they were to pass the night. The journey, shortened by innumerable +songs and choruses, had scarcely seemed long. The railway ran +throughout its whole distance through pretty, undulating country; +indeed, towards the end of their journey, when they were fairly +among the Vosges, the scenery became wild and savage. At Vesoul, +which was about halfway, the train had stopped for two hours; and +here wine, bread and cheese, cold sausages, and fruits were +distributed to the men by the inhabitants--who were assembled in +large numbers at the station, and gave the corps an enthusiastic +reception. They were the first band of franc tireurs who had passed +through, and the inhabitants regarded them as protectors against +the wandering Uhlans; whose fame, although as yet far off, had +caused them to be regarded with an almost superstitious fear. + +At Epinal, a similar and even warmer greeting awaited them; Epinal +being so much nearer to the enemy that the fear of Uhlans was more +acute. The station was decorated with green boughs; and the Maire, +with many of the leading inhabitants, was at the station to receive +them. The corps formed upon the platform; and then marched through +the little town to the Hotel de Ville, loudly cheered by the people +as they passed along. Here they were dismissed, with the order to +parade again at half-past four in the morning. + +There was no trouble as to billets for the night, as the Maire had +already made out a list of the inhabitants who had offered +accommodation--the number being greatly in excess of the strength +of the corps. These persons now came forward, and each took off the +number of franc tireurs who had been allotted to them. + +The sergeant of the first company, knowing the relationship and +friendship of the young Barclays and Duburgs, had promised them +that--when practicable--he would always quarter them together. Upon +the present occasion, the four were handed over to a gentleman +whose house was a short distance outside the town. Upon the way, he +chatted to them on the proposed course of the corps, upon its +organization and discipline; and they asked for the first time the +question which was so often, in future, to be upon their lips: + +"Had he any news of the enemy?" + +The answer was that none, as yet, had come south of Luneville; and +that indeed, at present they were too much occupied at Metz, and +Strasburg, to be able to detach any formidable parties. Small +bodies of Uhlans occasionally had made raids, and driven in sheep +and cattle; but they had not ventured to trust themselves very far +into the mountains. + +Upon arriving at the residence of their host, they were most kindly +received by his wife and daughter; who, however, could not refrain +from expressing their surprise at the youthfulness of their guests. + +"But these are mere boys!" the lady said to her husband, in German; +"are all the franc tireurs like these?" + +"Oh no," her husband said, in the same language, "the greater part +are sturdy fellows but, as they marched by, I observed some twelve +or fourteen who were scarcely out of their boyhood. + +"It is cruelty to send such youngsters out as these. What can they +do against these Prussians, who have beaten our best soldiers?" + +"Fortunately," Ralph said in German--which he spoke fluently, as +has already been stated--and with a merry laugh--which showed that +he was not offended at the remark--"fortunately, fighting now is +not an affair of spears and battle axes Age has nothing to do with +shooting; and as for fatigue, we shall not be the first in the +corps to give up." + +"I must really apologize very much, but I had no idea that you +understood German, or I should not have made any remarks," the lady +said, smiling; "but so few French boys, out of Alsace, do +understand it that it never struck me that you spoke the language. +You will find it an immense advantage for, outside the towns, you +will scarcely meet a person understanding French. But I am sure you +must be all very hungry, and supper is quite ready." + +They were soon seated at a well-spread table--waited upon by the +daughter of the family--while their host and hostess sat and +chatted with them, as to their corps, while the meal went on. + +"Excuse another remark upon your personal appearance," the lady +said, smiling, "but two of you look more like Alsatians than +French. You have the fair complexion and brown, wavy hair. You do +not look like Frenchmen." + +"Nor are we," Ralph laughed. "My brother and myself, although +French born, are actually English. Our father is an English +officer, but our mother is French and, as you see, we take after +him rather than her." + +"But I wonder that, as your father is English, he lets you go out +upon this expedition--which is very perilous." + +"We wished to go--that is, we thought it was our duty," Ralph said; +"and although they were very sad at our leaving, they both agreed +with us." + +"I wish all Frenchmen were animated by the same feeling," their +host said warmly. "Your gallant example should shame hundreds of +thousands of loiterers and skulkers. + +"You speak French perfectly. I should have had no idea that you +were anything but French--or rather, from the way you speak German, +that you were Alsatian." + +"We have lived in France all our lives, except for two years which +we passed in Germany; and two years at one time, together with one +or two shorter visits, in England." + +"And do you speak English as well as French?" + +"Oh yes, we always speak English at home. Our father made a rule +that we should always do so; as he said it would be an immense +disadvantage to us, when we returned to England, if we had the +slightest French accent. Our mother now speaks English as purely +and correctly as our father." + +"Are your friends any relations of yours?" + +"They are our cousins," Ralph said; "their father is our mother's +brother." + +For some time longer they chatted, and then their host said: + +"It is half-past nine; and we are early people, here. You will have +to be up by five, so I think that it is time you were off to bed. We +shall scarcely be up when you start; but you will find a spirit lamp +on the table, with coffee--which only requires heating--together with +some bread and butter. You will have some miles to march before you +breakfast. + +"And now, you must all promise me that, if you come to this place +again, you will come straight up here, and look upon it as your +home. If you get ill or wounded--which I hope will not happen--you +will, of course, go home; but something may occur not sufficiently +important for you to leave the corps, but which could be set +straight by a few days' nursing, and rest. In that case, you will +come to us, will you not?" + +The boys all gratefully promised to avail themselves of the +invitation, in case of need; and then said good night and goodbye +to their host, and went off to the room prepared for them. In the +morning they were up in good time, dressed as quietly as they +could--so as not to disturb their host--and went downstairs; lit +the spirit lamp under a glass bowl full of coffee and milk and, in +ten minutes, were on their way towards the town. + +"We shall be lucky if we are often as comfortable as that," Percy +said, looking back; and there was a general assent. + +"There goes the bugle," Louis Duburg said; "we have a quarter of an +hour, yet. + +"What pretty girls those were!" + +Louis was nearly seventeen and, at seventeen, a French lad +considers himself a competent judge as to the appearance and +manners of young ladies. + +"Were they?" Percy said carelessly, with the indifference of an +English boy of his age as to girls. "I did not notice it. I don't +care for girls; they are always thinking about their dress, and one +is afraid of touching them, in case you should spoil something. +There is nothing jolly about them." + +The others laughed. + +"I am sure Milly is jolly enough," Philippe Duburg said. + +"Yes, Milly is jolly," Percy answered. "You see, she has been with +us boys, and she can play, and doesn't screech if you touch her, or +mind a bit if she tears her frock. So are our cousins in +England--some of them. Yes, there are some jolly girls, of course; +still, after all, what's the good of them, taking them altogether? +They are very nice in their way--quiet and well behaved, and so +on--but they are better indoors than out." + +The clock was just striking half-past five, as the boys reached the +place of assembly. Most of the men were already upon the spot, and +the bugler was blowing lustily. In another five minutes all were +assembled; including Tim Doyle, with his horse and cart. + +"Good-morning, Tim," the boys said, as they came up to him. "I hope +you had as comfortable quarters as we had, last night." + +"Splendid, your honor--downright splendid; a supper fit for a lord, +and a bed big enough for a duchess." + +The boys laughed at the idea of a duchess wanting a bed bigger than +anyone else, and Tim went on: + +"Ah, your honor, if campaigning was all like this, sure I'd +campaign all my life, and thank you; but it's many a time I shall +look back upon my big supper, and big bed. Not that I should like +it altogether entirely; I should get so fat, and so lazy, that I +shouldn't know my own shadow." + +And now the bugle sounded again, and the men fell in. As they +started, they struck up a lively marching song; and several windows +opened, and adieus were waved to them as they passed down the +street into the open country. Everyone was in high spirits. The +weather, which had for some time been unfavorable, had cleared up; +the sun was rising brightly, and they felt that they had fairly +started for work. The road was rough, the country wild and +mountainous, thick forests extended in every direction, as far as +the eye could carry. + +"There is one comfort, Percy," Ralph said, "if we are beaten and +driven back, we might get into this forest, and laugh at the +Prussians." + +Percy cast rather a doubtful eye at the dark woods. + +"The Prussians might not be able to discover us, Ralph; but I would +as leave be killed by Prussian balls as die of hunger, and our +chances of getting food there, for a hundred men, would be very +slight." + +"They don't look hospitable, certainly, Percy. I agree with you. We +had better keep in the open country, as long as possible." + +The first village at which they arrived was Deyvilliers. Here a +halt was called for ten minutes, five miles having already been +marched. Many of the men--less fortunate than the Barclays and +Duburgs--had had nothing to eat upon starting and, when the arms +were piled, there was a general dispersal through the village, in +search of provisions. Bread had been bought over night, at Epinal, +and brought on in the cart; which was fortunate, for the village +was a very small one, and there would have been a difficulty in +obtaining more than a loaf or two. Cheese and fruit were in +abundance; and the boys bought some apples, and sat down by the +little feeder of the Moselle which passes through the village, and +watched it tumbling past on its way to join the main stream, a few +miles below Epinal. + +In a quarter of an hour, they were again on the march. In another +five miles they reached Fontaine, lying a little off the road to +their right. They had now marched ten miles, and Major Tempe +ordered a halt for three hours. A piece of level ground was chosen, +arms were piled, blankets and haversacks taken off, and then +preparations began for their first meal. Men were sent off with +kettles, for water. Others went up to the village with cans for +wine--or beer for, in Alsace, beer is more common than wine. Tim +took the horse out of the shafts, and gave him some oats. Some of +the men were sent from each company to fetch wood, and the old +soldiers prepared for the important operation of cooking. + +Several little fireplaces were made, with stones and turf, open on +the side facing the wind. In these sticks were placed and, when +they were fairly alight, the saucepans--each holding the allowance +of ten men--were placed on them. In these the meat--cut up in +pieces of about half a pound--was placed; with pepper, salt, +onions, rice, and potatoes peeled and cut up, and the whole filled +up with water. + +When the preparations were finished, the men threw themselves down +under the shade of some trees; and smoked and chatted until, in +about an hour, the cooking was complete. Each man then brought up +his tin canteen, and received his portion of soup in the deep side, +and his meat and vegetables in the shallow can. The bread had +already been cut up. The tin drinking pots which, with knives, +forks, and spoons, were carried in the canteens, were filled with +beer and, with much laughing and fun, each man sat down on the +grass, or scattered rocks, to eat his breakfast. + +Many of the villagers had come down; and these brought, for the +most part, little presents: a few apples, a little fresh cheese, or +a bunch of grapes. It was a merry meal, and the boys agreed that it +was the jolliest picnic that they had ever been at. + +At two o'clock the bugle sounded. The cooking things were packed up +and placed in the cart again; the blankets and haversacks slung on, +and the rifles shouldered and, with many a good wish from the +peasants, they marched forward again. + +Eight miles further marching brought them to the end of their day's +journey, the village of Destord. It was a tiny place, with scarcely +over a half-dozen houses. Major Tempe in consequence determined, as +the weather was fine, upon bivouacking in the open air. For a time, +all were busy collecting wood. A sheltered place was chosen, for +the village lay very high, close to the source of a little stream +running into the river Mortagne. + +The cooking places were again prepared for supper. At seven o'clock +the meal was served, differing but little from that of the morning; +except that after the men had eaten the soup, and the meat from it +(in France called bouilli), they fried some thin slices of meat in +the lids of their canteens, and concluded the meal with a cup of +coffee. + +Then four large fires were lit--one for each company--and a smaller +one for the officers. Blankets were spread out on the ground round +these fires, and the men lit their pipes and chatted gaily. All +were more or less tired for, although their month's hard drill had +accustomed them to work, eighteen miles with arms, ammunition, and +accouterments had tired them more than they had anticipated. + +As this was their first night out, Major Tempe told them that he +should not place a regular cordon of sentries; but that in future +he should do so, whether they were near the enemy or not. By nine +o'clock the fires began to burn low, the talking gradually ceased, +and the men--rolling themselves up in their blankets, and putting +their haversacks under their heads, for pillows--soon dropped off +to sleep; a solitary sentry keeping guard against pilferers. + +A short march of ten miles took them, next day, to Rambervillers, +where they were billeted among the inhabitants; and fourteen miles +on the day after to Baccarat, on the river Meurthe, where they also +obtained quarters. They were now approaching the neighborhood of +the enemy, and Major Tempe advised a halt for the next day; in +order that he might make inquiries, and investigate thoroughly the +best route to be pursued. + + + +Chapter 5: The First Engagement. + + +The news which the commandant of the franc tireurs heard, at +Baccarat, determined him to change his intentions; and to push on +without delay to Halloville--a tiny hamlet on the lower spurs of +the Vosges, some four miles from Blamont; and overlooking the +valley of the Vexouse, in which the latter town was situated. + +It was a long march, and the weather had again changed, the rain +descending all day in a steady pour. The men--in their light, +waterproof cloaks, and the flaps of their forage caps down--plodded +steadily on; their spirit sustained by the thought that, ere +another twenty-four hours, they might be in action. The news which +hurried them forwards had been to the effect that a body of two +hundred Uhlans had left Sarrebourg, and were advancing towards +Blamont. They were going quietly, stopping to levy contributions at +the villages on the way. It was probable that they would enter +Blamont on the same evening that the franc tireurs reached +Halloville. It was supposed that they would proceed, with the sheep +and cattle that they had swept up, by the valley of the Vexouse to +Luneville. + +To within four miles of Halloville, the road had been a fair one; +but it was here necessary to turn off, by a track that was little +better than a goat path. In vain, a dozen of the men were told off +to help with the cart; in vain they pushed behind, and shoved at +the spokes of the wheels. The road was altogether impracticable. At +last the horse and cart were taken aside into a thick wood and left +there; with Tim Doyle, a corporal, and six of the men who were the +most footsore, and incapable of pushing on. Tim was dreadfully +disgusted at being thus cut off from the chance of seeing, and +joining in, any fighting; and only consoled himself with the hope +that a vacancy would be likely to occur the next day, and that he +would then be able to exchange his whip for a rifle. + +The rest of the corps plodded on until, long after dusk, they +arrived at the half-dozen houses which form the village of +Halloville. Their appearance, as they marched up to it, was greeted +by a scream from a woman, followed by a perfect chorus of screams +and cries. Men, women, and children were seen rushing out of the +houses, and taking to flight; and it was with the greatest +difficulty that they were made to understand the truth, that the +formidable body, which had so suddenly dropped upon them, was not +composed of the dreaded invaders. + +When the truth was known, they did their best to receive them +hospitably. Their means, however, were small; their houses equally +so. However, in a short time blazing fires were lighted on the +hearths; blankets having been put up before the windows, to prevent +any light being visible from the valley. A fire was allotted for +the cooking of each company, and preparations for supper were soon +commenced. Then an examination was made of the facilities in the +way of sleeping; and two barns were found, well provided with +straw. This was shaken out and, after eating their suppers, the men +packed close together upon the straw, and soon forgot both damp and +fatigue; numerous sentries being thrown out, in various directions, +to prevent the possibility of surprise--for the peasants had +informed them that the information which they had received was +correct; and that the Uhlans, about two hundred strong, had entered +Blamont that afternoon, and had laid a requisition of twenty +thousand francs upon the inhabitants, besides a considerable amount +of stores of all sorts. + +At three o'clock they were roused and found, to their great +pleasure, that the rain had ceased. Guided by one of the villagers, +they made their way down to a point where the wood approached quite +close to the road, at a narrow point of the valley. Here Major +Tempe posted his men along in the wood. Several coils of wire had +been brought with them; and these were now stretched tightly from +tree to tree, at a distance of about eighteen inches from the +ground. Some forty yards farther back, young trees were felled and +branches cut; and these were laid with the bushy parts towards the +road, wires being twisted here and there among them, so as to form +abattis perfectly impenetrable for horsemen, and difficult in the +extreme for infantry. All worked hard and, by eight o'clock in the +morning, everything was in readiness. + +A small party had been left upon the high ground near Halloville, +and one of them had brought down news every half hour. Soon after +daybreak, a party of Uhlans had been seen to leave Blamont, and to +visit Barbas and Harboise--two villages in the flat of Blamont--and +then to retire, driving some cattle and sheep before them. At ten +o'clock the rest of the men from Halloville came down, with the +news that the Uhlans--about two hundred strong--had just left +Blamont, and were coming down the valley. + +Each man now took the station allotted to him: thirty men behind +the trees, next to the road; the main body being stationed behind +the abattis, each man having previously settled upon a spot where +he could fire through the leaves, which entirely concealed them +from view from the road. Number one company was placed to the right +and, consequently, near to Blamont. Ralph and Percy were both in +the front line, behind the trees. + +Not a shot was to be fired, on any consideration, until Major Tempe +gave the word. The men behind the trees were all ordered to lie +down among the low undergrowth and brushwood. The line extended +nearly a hundred yards. The waterproofs, blankets, and all other +impediments had been left behind at Halloville, so that the men had +the free use of their arms. The rifles were loaded, the pouches +shifted round so as to be ready at hand and--orders having been +given that not a word should be spoken, even in a whisper--a +perfect silence reigned over the spot. + +Ralph and Percy were near to each other. They had exchanged a +hearty grip of the hand, before lying down; and now lay, with +beating hearts and hands firmly grasping their rifles, in readiness +for the signal. + +The time was not very long--only a few minutes--but it seemed to +them an age before they heard the tramp of horses. Nearer and +nearer they came, and now they could hear the jingling of +accouterments First, through their leafy screen, they could see two +Uhlans pass at a walk; scanning keenly the woods, and looking for +possible danger. The bushes were thick, and they noticed nothing, +and kept on at the same pace. It is probable, indeed, that they +really anticipated no possibility of an attack, as the Dijon franc +tireurs were the first who appeared upon the scene of action; and +the Prussians were, consequently, in entire ignorance of the +vicinity of any armed body of the enemy and, at worst, apprehended +a stray shot from a straggler from one of the French armies, hidden +in the woods. + +In another minute or two four more Uhlans passed; and after the +same interval came the main body, escorting a number of cattle and +sheep. The greater portion had passed the spot where the boys were +lying, and were opposite the whole line of franc tireurs, when the +silence of the wood was broken by Major Tempe's shout: + +"Now!" + +Before the Uhlans had time to rein in their horses, or to ask each +other what was the meaning of the cry, the flash of thirty rifles +broke from the trees, and several men fell from their horses. There +was a momentary panic, followed by a hurried discharge of carbines +at the invisible foe. + +The captain of the Uhlans--a handsome young officer, with light +mustache and beard--shouted to his men: + +"Steady, they are only a handful. Form line, charge!" + +Quickly as the maneuver was executed, the franc tireurs had time to +fire again; and then--in accordance with their orders--retreated, +and joined their comrades by passages left in the abattis, on +purpose. In another instant the Uhlans charged but, as quickly, the +direst confusion reigned, where before had been a regular line. The +wire had served its purpose. Horses and men went down on the top of +each other, and thirty rifles again fumed their deadly hail into +the confused mass. + +The second line of Uhlans--who had not charged--returned the fire +of their invisible enemies and, although they could not see them, +several of the balls took effect. Nothing could be cooler than the +officers of the Uhlans, and their voice and example steadied their +men. Under cover of the fire of their comrades the men, in part, +extricated themselves and their horses, and drew back behind the +wood. Orders were then given for all to dismount and, leaving their +horses to be held by parties of their comrades--four horses to one +man--the rest advanced on foot against their apparently greatly +inferior foe, keeping up a heavy fire with their carbines. This was +what the commandant of the franc tireurs had hoped for, and +expected. + +The wire had been broken down by the weight of the horses; and the +Prussians advanced, opposed only by a feeble return to their heavy +fire, until within five paces of the leafy wall. Then the fire from +a hundred rifles flashed out upon them. + +The effect was terrible, and a cry of surprise and rage burst from +those who had escaped its effect. It was evident that they had fallen +into an ambush. The captain--wild with rage and mortification, at +the fault he had committed--rushed forward; and his men gallantly +seconded his efforts. In vain, however, did they try to separate the +interlaced boughs while, as they struggled, the shots from the enemy +flashed out thick and fast. In another moment the young captain +threw up his arms and fell, shot through the heart. The officer next +in command ordered a retreat, the horses were regained and, amidst a +continuous fire from the franc tireurs, the diminished troop +galloped back towards Blamont. + +The franc tireurs now quitted their leafy fortress. A small party +was at once sent forward up the valley, to give notice if the +Uhlans showed any signs of returning. A strong body set to work to +drive in the scattered animals--which were galloping wildly about +the valley--while the rest collected the dead and wounded. + +Of the franc tireurs eight were killed, fourteen wounded. Of the +Uhlans forty-seven were killed, and nineteen wounded remained on +the ground. Their large number of killed, in proportion to the +wounded, was accounted for by the fact that the firing was so close +that, in many cases, the coats of the dead men were actually singed +by the explosion; while the slightly wounded men had been able to +regain their horses, and escape. + +The first impulse of the young Barclays, when the fire ceased, was +to turn round and to embrace each other with delight--on finding +that they had each escaped without a scratch--and then to shake +hands heartily with their cousins, whose fortune had been equally +good. There was no time for words, however; for Major Tempe's order +came, sharp and decisive: + +"You the Barclays, you also the Duburgs, sling your arms, and go +assist to drive in the cattle. Quick, lose no time. + +"You have done well. I am content with you, my boys." + +With a flush of pleasure, the boys started off to carry out the +orders; which had been given, by their commander, with the kind +thought of sparing the lads the terrible sight of the battle +ground. + +The short but desperate conflict through which they had passed +seemed, to the young Barclays, almost like a dream. In the +excitement of loading and firing, in the tumult and the rattle, +they had scarcely had time even to give a thought to the danger. + +Fear is seldom felt by the soldier when engaged in close conflict. +The time when his nerves are most tried is while waiting inactive, +at a distance, exposed to a heavy shell fire; or while advancing to +an attack, under a storm of musketry and artillery. In a +hand-to-hand conflict, he has no time to think. His nerves are +strung up to so high a pitch that he no longer thinks of danger, or +death. His whole thoughts are given to loading and firing. + +Any thought that the boys had given to danger was not for +themselves, but for each other; and Ralph--though his own position +was unsheltered--had once or twice spoken, to Percy, to keep his +body better sheltered by the trees behind which he was standing. + +It was a long chase before the frightened animals were collected +together, and driven up towards the spot where the fight had taken +place. By the time that it was accomplished, the wounded had been +collected, and the surgeons had bandaged many of their wounds. A +qualified surgeon had accompanied the corps, as its regular doctor, +and two other young surgeons had enlisted in its ranks; and these, +their arms laid by, were now assisting to stanch the wounds and to +apply bandages. Of the franc tireurs, there were only four so +seriously wounded that they were unable to walk. + +By that time two carts arrived from the village of Douteppe, which +stood in the valley, half a mile only from the scene of action; and +to which place Major Tempe had sent off a messenger directly the +affair had terminated. In one of these the wounded were placed, +while in the other were piled the arms and accouterments of the +fallen Uhlans. One of the young surgeons was to accompany the +wounded as far as Baccarat, where they were to remain for +treatment. + +Twenty-three horses of the Uhlans had also been captured, by the +party who had driven in the cattle--among whom they were galloping. +Four men were told off to take them back to Epinal, and there +dispose of them, with their accouterments, for the benefit of the +military chest of the corps. + +The question then arose as to what was to be done with the Prussian +wounded. Major Tempe decided this by saying that, as it was quite +impossible for the corps to be burdened with wounded men, the best +plan was to allow one of the slightly wounded among the prisoners +to walk back to Blamont; with a message that the Uhlans could come +back to fetch their wounded without molestation, as the franc +tireurs were upon the point of taking their departure. + +The corps then assembled round a grave which had already been dug, +and into it the bodies of their comrades who had fallen were +placed. Major Tempe then said a few brief words of adieu, hoping +that all who fell might die equally bravely, and victoriously. Then +the sods were shoveled in; and the men, saddened by the +scene--though still flushed with the triumph of their first, and +signal, success--prepared to leave the spot. + +Major Tempe had already held a consultation with his officers, and +their plan of operation had been decided upon. The difficulty which +they had encountered the evening before, with the horse and cart, +had already proved that it would be impossible to drag it about +with them. They had also taken thirty fine cattle, and upwards of a +hundred sheep from the enemy; and it was therefore resolved to +establish a sort of headquarters in the mountains, where they could +retire after their expeditions, and defy the efforts of the +Prussians to disturb them. The spot fixed upon was the forest of +Bousson, high up among the Vosges, and distant two hard days' +marching. + +A portion of the troop, therefore, went round to Halloville, to +fetch the accouterments, blankets, etc. which had been left there; +while the rest marched, by the road, to the place where the cart +had been left the night before. Two peasants were engaged as guides +and, in the afternoon, the corps started for their destination. + +It was a terrible march. The roads were mere tracks, and the +weather was terrible. Over and over again, the men had to unload +the carts, shoulder the contents, and carry them for a considerable +distance, until ground was reached where the cart could again be +loaded. + +It was not until late on the evening of the third day's march that, +thoroughly done up by fatigue and hardship, the corps reached the +little village of Raon, in the heart of the forest of Bousson. +There was no possible fear of attack, here; and the commandant +decided that, for the night, there was no occasion for any of the +men to be out as sentries. The villagers at once took charge of the +animals, and turned them into a rough enclosure. The men were too +much done up even to care about keeping awake until supper could be +cooked and--being divided among the houses of the village--they +threw themselves down, and were fast asleep in a few minutes. + +The next morning, the sun shone out brightly; and the men, turning +out after a long sleep, felt quite different creatures to the tired +band who had wearily crawled into the village. The bright sky, the +fresh morning air, the pleasant odor of the great pine forest +around them, and the bracing atmosphere--at the height of fifteen +hundred feet above the sea--at once refreshed and cheered them. + +There was a brief morning parade--at which Tim Doyle, for the first +time, took his place with a rifle on his shoulder--and then the +major dismissed them, saying that there would be no further parade +that day, and that the men could amuse themselves as they liked. In +a short time, every man was following the bent of his own +inclination. First, however, there was a general cleaning of the +rifles and accouterments; then most of the men went down to the +stream, and there was a great washing of clothes, accompanied with +much laughing and joking. Then needles and thread were obtained, +from the women of the village, and there was much mending and +darning--for the past three days' work, among rocks and woods, had +done no little damage to their uniforms. + +Next came the grand operation of breakfast, for which two of the +sheep had been killed. This, being the first regular meal that they +had had, for three days, was greatly enjoyed. After it was eaten +most of the men lit their pipes, and prepared to pass a day of +delightful idleness. Two or three of the village boys had been +engaged, as cowherds and shepherds; and the animals were all driven +out into the woods where, in the open glades, they would find an +abundance of food. + +The cart was unanimously condemned as worse than useless. An empty +shed was turned into a storehouse; and it was determined that such +stores of powder, etc. as might be required, upon each expedition, +should be packed upon the horse's back and, if the horse could not +take all required, that other horses should be hired. + +The Barclays, with their cousins, started for a ramble in the wood; +taking with them the Irishman, whose good humor and unflagging +spirits, during the last three days, had made him a general +favorite. + +"Sure, and are there any wild bastes in the wood, your honor +Because, if there be, it would be well to take our rifles with us. +It would be mighty unpleasant to come across a lion, or a tiger, +and not to be able to pass him the time of day." + +"No, Tim, we shall meet neither lions nor tigers, so you need not +trouble yourself with a rifle. A hundred years ago, we might have +met with a bear, or a wild boar; but they have disappeared, long +since. It is possible that there are a few wolves scattered about; +but they are never formidable to any but a solitary person, even in +winter; and at all other times fly from man's approach." + +The party had a charming ramble, for the scenery here was very +fine. At times, the forest was so thick that they could see no +glimpse of the sky, and the trunks of the trees seemed to make a +wall, all round them; then again, it would open, and they would +obtain a glimpse over the country far away, rise beyond rise, to +the plain of Champagne or--if the view were behind, instead of in +front of them--they could see the tops of the highest range of the +Vosges, rising hill above hill, and often wooded to the very +summit--the Donon, one of the highest points of the range, being +immediately behind them. + +The villages are, here, few and far between, and the people +extremely poor; for the soil is poor, and although in summer the +cattle--which form their only wealth--are able to pick up an +abundance of food, in the forests, they have a hard struggle to +keep them alive during the winter. Their language is German, and +their appearance and dress rather German than French but, +notwithstanding this, they were thoroughly French in spirit, and +regarded the invaders with an intense hatred. + +Another day, passed in rest, completely restored the most exhausted +of the band. Orders were therefore issued for an early start, the +next morning; the object, this time, being to endeavor to cut the +railway. The band were to march in a body for the slopes of the +Vosges, behind Sarrebourg and Saverne; and were then to divide into +companies, and scatter themselves among the villages between +Lorquin and Marmontier, so as to act together or separately, as it +might seem expedient. + + + +Chapter 6: The Tunnel Of Saverne. + + +It is needless to follow the corps, step by step, through their +marches; for the names of the little villages through which they +passed would not be found in any maps published in England, and +would therefore possess little interest for English readers. After +two days' long marches, the main body of the corps reached a +village situated in a wood, at about four miles from the great rock +tunnel of Saverne. The fourth company had been left at a village, +five miles to the left; while the third company were, next day, to +march forward to a place at about the same distance to the right. +Their orders were to keep a sharp lookout, to collect news of the +movements and strength of the enemy; but not to undertake any +expedition, or to do anything, whatever, to lead the enemy to guess +at their presence in the neighborhood--as it was of vital +importance that they should not be put upon their guard, until the +great blow was struck. + +As soon as they had marched into the village, the principal +inhabitants came forward, and a consultation was held as to +providing lodgings. After some conversation, it was agreed that the +officers should have quarters in the village; and that the +schoolrooms--two in number--should be placed at the disposal of the +men. They were good-sized rooms, and would hold thirty men each, +without difficulty. The company who were to march forward in the +morning were provided with quarters in the village. + +Ralph and Percy Barclay, as usual, acted as interpreters between +Major Tempe and the inhabitants; for neither the major, nor any of +his officers, spoke German. That language, indeed, was spoken only +by a few men in the whole corps; and these the commandant had +divided among the other companies, in order that each company might +be able to shift for itself, when separated from the main body. + +"Have you seen this proclamation?" one of the villagers asked. "You +see that we are running no little risk, in taking you in." + +Ralph read it, and as he did so his face flushed with indignation, +and he exclaimed: + +"This is infamous! Infamous!" + +"What is it?" Major Tempe asked. + +"It is a proclamation from the Prussian General commanding the +district, major, giving notice that he will shoot every franc +tireur he may catch; and also giving notice to the inhabitants that +if any Prussian soldier be killed, or even shot at, by a franc +tireur--if a rail be pulled up, or a road cut--that he will hold +the village near the spot accountable; will burn the houses, and +treat the male inhabitants according to martial law, and that the +same penalties will be exacted for sheltering or hiding franc +tireurs." + +"Impossible!" Major Tempe said, astounded. "No officer of a +civilized army could issue such an edict. Besides, during an +invasion of Germany, the people were summoned by the King of +Prussia to take up arms, to cut roads, destroy bridges, and shoot +down the enemy--just as we are going to do, now. It is too +atrocious to be true." + +"There it is, in black and white," Ralph said. "There can be no +mistake as to the wording." + +Major Tempe looked grieved, as well as indignant. + +"This will be a terrible business," he said, "if the war is to be +carried on in this way. Of course, if they give us no quarter, we +shall give them none. That is, we must make as many prisoners as we +can in order that, if any of our men are taken prisoners, we may +carry out reprisals if they shoot them. + +"It will, besides this, do us great harm. Naturally, the villagers, +instead of looking upon us as defenders, will regard us as the most +dangerous of guests. They will argue: + +"'If we make no resistance, the Prussians may plunder us, but at +least our houses and our lives are safe; whereas if these franc +tireurs are found to have been with us, or if they make any attack +in our neighborhood, we are not only plundered, but burnt out, and +shot!' + +"Of course, we are always liable to treachery. There are scoundrels +always to be found who would sell their own mothers, but now even +the most patriotic cannot but feel that they are running an immense +risk in sheltering us. + +"Never before, I believe, in the annals of civilized nations, did a +man in authority dare to proclaim that persons should suffer for a +crime with which they had nothing, whatever, to do. If we arrive at +a little village, how are the people to say to us, 'We will not +allow you to pull up a rail!'? And yet, if they do not prevent us, +they are to be punished with fire and sword. And these people call +themselves a civilized nation! + +"One of the evil consequences of this proclamation is that we shall +never dare trust to the inhabitants to make inquiries for us. They +will be so alarmed, in case we should attempt anything in their +neighborhood, that they would be sure to do and say everything they +could to dissuade us from it and, if inclined to treachery, might +even try to buy their own safety by betraying us." + +Major Tempe was speaking to the other officers, who thoroughly +agreed with his opinion. Ralph and Percy had remained in the room, +in case any further questions might be asked in reference to the +proclamation. They now asked if anything else were required and, +upon a negative answer being given, saluted and took their leave. +It was dusk when they went out and, as they walked towards the +schoolroom, they heard a great tumult of voices raised in anger, +among which they recognized that of Tim Doyle. + +"Howld yer jaw, you jabbering apes!" he exclaimed, in great wrath. +"Give me a lantern, or a candle, and let me begone. The boys are +all waiting for me to begin." + +Hurrying up, they found Tim surrounded by a few of the principal +inhabitants of the village, and soon learned the cause of the +dispute. Supper was served, but it was too dark to see to eat it; +and Tim--always ready to make himself useful--had volunteered to go +in search of a light. He had in vain used his few words of French +with the villagers he met, and these had at last called the +schoolmaster, the only person in the village who understood French. +This man had addressed Tim first in French and then in German and, +upon receiving no coherent answer in either language, had arrived +at the conclusion that Tim was making fun of them. Hence the +dispute had arisen. + +The boys explained matters, and the villagers--whose knowledge of +England was of the very vaguest description; and most of whom, +indeed, had previously believed that all the world spoke either +French or German--were profuse in apologies, and immediately +procured some candles, with which Tim and the boys hastened to the +schoolroom. Two candles were given to each company and--one being +lighted at each end of the room, and stuck upon nails in the +wall--the boys were enabled to see what the place was like. + +Clean straw had been littered, a foot deep, down each side of the +room; and fifteen blankets were folded, side by side, along by each +wall. Upon pegs above--meant for the scholars' caps--hung the +haversacks, water bottles, and other accouterments; while the +rifles were piled along the center of the room, leaving space +enough to walk down upon either side, between them and the beds. At +the farther end of the room was a large fireplace, in which a log +fire was blazing; and a small shed, outside, had been converted +into a kitchen. + +"We might be worse off than this, a long way, Ralph," said Louis +Duburg, as Ralph took his place on the straw next to him. + +"That we might, Louis. The fire looks cheerful, too, and the nights +are getting very cold." + +"That they are, Ralph. + +"Ah! Here is supper. I am quite ready for that, too." + +The men who officiated as cooks--and who, by agreement, had been +released from all night duty in consideration of their regularly +undertaking that occupation--now brought in a large saucepan full +of soup; and each man went up with his canteen, and received his +portion, returning to his bed upon the straw to eat it. + +"Anything new, Barclay?" one of the men asked, from the other side +of the room. + +"Yes, indeed," Ralph said. "New, and disagreeable. Mind none of you +get taken prisoners, for the Prussian General has issued a +proclamation that he shall shoot all franc tireurs he catches." + +"Impossible!" came in a general chorus, from all present. + +"Well, it sounds like it, but it is true enough," and Ralph +repeated, word for word, the proclamation which he had translated +to Major Tempe. + +As might have been expected, it raised a perfect storm of +indignation; and this lasted until, at nine o'clock, the sergeant +gave the word: + +"Lights out." + +In the morning, after parade, Ralph and Percy strolled away +together and had a long talk and, at the end of an hour, they +walked to the house where Major Tempe had established his +headquarters. + +"Good morning, my friends," he said, as they entered. "Is there +anything I can do for you? Sit down." + +"We have been thinking, sir--Percy and I--that we could very easily +dress up as peasants, and go down to Saverne, or anywhere you might +think fit, and find out all particulars as to the strength and +position of the enemy. No one would suspect two boys of being franc +tireurs. It would be unlikely in the extreme that anyone would ask +us any questions and, if we were asked, we should say we belonged +to some village in the mountains, and had come down to buy coffee, +and other necessaries. The risk of detection would be next to +nothing, for we speak German quite well enough to pass for lads +from the mountains." + +Major Tempe was silent a minute. + +"You know you would be shot, at once, if you were detected." + +"No doubt, sir, but there is no reason in the world why we should +be detected. The Prussians can't know everyone by sight, even +within the town itself; and will not notice us, at all. If they do, +our answer is sufficient." + +"I tell you frankly, boys, I was thinking only last night of the +matter; but--however much you may make light of it--there is, of +course, a certain amount of danger in acting as spies; and your +father--my friend Captain Barclay--might say to me, if evil came of +it: + +"'I gave you my boys to fight for France, and you have sent them to +their death, as spies.' + +"So I resolved to say nothing about it." + +"But now we have offered, sir, the case is different," Ralph said. +"From our knowledge of the language, and from our age, we are +better fitted than anyone in the corps to perform this service; and +therefore it would be clearly our duty to perform it, were it +greatly more dangerous than it is. Our father said to us, at +starting: + +"'Do your duty, boys, whatever the danger.' + +"We will see about our clothes--there can be no difficulty about +that, there are several lads in the village whose things would fit +us. Shall we come in this afternoon, for instructions?" + +"Thank you, lads," Major Tempe said, warmly. "I trust, with you, +that no harm will come of it. But your offer is of too great +advantage to the corps for me to persist in my refusal." + +Upon leaving the quarters of the commandant, the boys went at once +to the house of a farmer a short distance from the village where, +the day before, they had noticed two boys of about their own size. +They explained to the farmer that they wanted to buy of him a suit +of the working clothes of each of his sons. Greatly surprised at +this request, the farmer had inquired what they could possibly want +them for; and Ralph--who thought it better not to trust him with +the secret--replied that, as the Prussian General had given notice +that he should shoot all franc tireurs he might take prisoners, +they wanted a suit of clothes, each, which they might slip on in +case of defeat or danger of capture. The pretense was a plausible +one; and the farmer sold them the required clothes, charging only +about twice their cost, when new. + +The boys took the parcel and, instead of returning to the village +direct, they hid it carefully in a wood, at a short distance away. +They then returned and, in the afternoon, received detailed +instructions from Major Tempe. + +It was arranged that the matter should be kept entirely secret, +lest any incautious word might be overheard and reported. They were +to start at daybreak, upon the following morning. Their cousins and +Tim Doyle being--alone--taken into their confidence, their friends +regretted much that they could not accompany them, and share their +danger. The boys pointed out however that--even could they have +spoken German fluently--they could not have gone with them as, +although two strangers would excite no attention, whatever, five +would be certain to do so. + +The next morning they started together, as if for a walk. Upon +reaching the spot in the wood where the peasants' clothes were +hidden, the boys took off their uniforms--which were wrapped up, +and concealed in the same place--and put on the clothes. They +fitted fairly; and more than that was not necessary, as peasants' +clothes are seldom cut accurately to the figure. Rounding their +shoulders, and walking with a clumping sort of stride, no one would +have imagined that they were other than they pretended to be--two +awkward-looking young Alsatian lads. + +They cut two heavy sticks, exchanged a hearty goodbye with their +friends, and started for Saverne. Two hours later they were walking +in its streets; staring into the shop windows, and at everything +that was going on, with the open-mouthed curiosity of two young +country lads. Then they made a few purchases--some coffee, sugar, +and pepper--tied them in a colored pocket handkerchief, and then +went into a small cabaret--where they saw some German soldiers +drinking--sat down at a table, and called for some bread and cheese +and beer. + +While they were taking them, they listened to the conversation of +the soldiers. The only information that they gleaned from it was +that the men seemed to have no expectation, whatever, of any early +movement; and that they were heartily sick of the monotony of the +place, and the hard work of patrolling the line of railway, night +and day. Presently the soldiers paid for their beer, and left; and +some of the townspeople came in, and took the places they had left. +Their conversation, of course, turned on the Prussian occupation, +and deep were the curses heaped upon the invaders. The only thing +mentioned in their favor was the smallness of their number. There +were not over two hundred men; and this amount weighed but lightly +upon Saverne, compared with the fifty, sixty, or a hundred +quartered at every little village along the line of railway. + +The boys had now learned what they most wanted to know and, paying +for their refreshment, went out again into the street. Then they +walked to the railway station--where they saw several soldiers, on +guard--and then set off to a point where they could see the +entrance to the tunnel. There two soldiers were on guard; while +others were stationed, at short distances, all along the line. + +The boys now went up to a wood whence, unseen themselves, they +could watch the trains passing. They came along nearly every half +hour; immensely long trains, filled with stores of all kinds. As it +became dusk, they saw a body of Prussian soldiers marching down the +line; relieving the sentries, and placing fresh ones at distances +of little more than fifty yards apart. These marched backwards and +forwards, until they met each other; then returning, until they +faced their comrade at the other end of their beat. + +"We can be off now, Percy," Ralph said, rising. "Our news is bad, +for it will be by no means so easy to cut the line as we had +expected. These weasels won't be very easily caught asleep." + +"No, indeed," Percy said. "The idea of cutting the line sounded so +easy, when we were at a distance; but it is quite a different +matter, now we are here." + +Upon their return they found--with some difficulty--the place where +they had hidden their uniforms; again changed clothes, and +then--carrying those they had just taken off, made up into +bundles--they re-entered the village, and went straight to +headquarters. + +Major Tempe was at dinner with the other officers, and received +them with great pleasure; for he had been anxious, all day, lest +any misfortune might befall them. Finding that they had had nothing +to eat, since early in the morning, he at once invited them to sit +down to dinner; for military discipline is far less strict in these +matters, in France, than it is in England; and among the corps of +franc tireurs especially--as among the English volunteers, where +the private is in many cases equal to, or superior to, his officer +in social standing--the difference of rank is very much put aside, +except on duty. + +"And you say that they have a sentinel at every fifty or sixty +yards, along the line?" Major Tempe said, when Ralph had given an +account of their day's investigation. "That appears, to me, to be +fatal to our plans." + +"Why so?" Lieutenant de Maupas--who commanded the first +company--asked. "It seems to me that nothing could be easier. +Suppose we fell upon any given point, the sentries near it would be +at once killed, or made prisoners; and even allowing--as young +Barclay says--that there are troops in all the villages, it would +be a good half hour before a force, sufficient to disturb us, could +arrive." + +"That is true enough," Major Tempe answered. "But what could we do, +in half an hour? We might pull up two hundred yards of rail. What +real advantage would be gained by that? The line of sentries along +the rail would, by firing their rifles, pass the news ten miles, in +half as many minutes; and the trains would be stopped long before +they arrived at the break. Each train carries, I know, workmen and +materials for repairing the line; and as it would be impossible for +us to carry away the rails, after pulling them up, they would be +replaced in as short a time as it took us to tear them up; and the +consequence would be that the traffic would only be suspended for +an hour or two, at most. For a break to be of any real utility, +whatever, it must last for days, if not for weeks. + +"The great coup, of course, would be the destruction of the rock +tunnel of Saverne, which was the special object of our presence +here. Failing that, we must try a bridge. The tunnel, however, is +the great affair. Once destroyed, there would be no repairing it, +for many weeks. My proposition is, therefore, that we turn our +attention at once to that point." + +There was a general murmur of assent. + +"The best course would be for Hardin's company to march direct to +the other end of the tunnel, seize it, and prevent interference +from that end; while the others then seize the Saverne end, and +hold it while preparations are made for blowing it up. Then, when +the match is lighted, fall back--if possible--before the arrival of +heavy bodies of the enemy." + +"Nothing could be better," Lieutenant de Maupas exclaimed, and the +other officers agreed with him. + +"What day do you propose for the movement?" + +"The day after tomorrow, at daybreak," Major Tempe said. "That will +give us plenty of time to send orders to the other two companies; +and the sooner it is done, the better." + +The conference was about to break up, when the surgeon--who had +listened in silence--said: + +"The general plan is simple enough but, tell me, how do you propose +to set about blowing the tunnel up? You may be able to hold it for +half an hour, at most. How do you think of proceeding?" + +Major Tempe and his officers looked at each other. They had not, as +yet, thought the matter over; but the instant it was put plainly +before them, they saw the difficulty. + +"Oh," Lieutenant de Maupas said, confidently, "we shall, of course, +put the nitroglycerine somewhere in the middle of the tunnel, and +blow the whole affair up." + +Lieutenant de Maupas had been a sailor; and his quickness of +decision and go-ahead, straight-forward way of doing everything +made him, at once, a favorite and an amusement to the men; who had +nicknamed him "Grande Vitesse," or, as we should say in English, +the "Express." + +"I am afraid the matter is rather more difficult than you imagine, +De Maupas," Major Tempe said, with a smile. "This is in +Ribouville's way; as he was in the Engineers, he will know all +about it." + +The officer named, however, did not reply for some little time; but +sat with his head on his hand, in deep thought. + +"I feel ashamed to own it," he said, at last; "but I really do not +know how one could set about the matter so as to have a chance of +really destroying the tunnel, after so short a time for +preparation. Were the tunnel an ordinary, brick-lined tunnel, the +proposition of De Maupas--slightly modified--would no doubt have +the effect of bringing down the brick lining, and the earth behind +would fall in, of itself; but with a tunnel cut in the solid rock, +it would be difficult. The natural strength of the tunnel would be +so great that the force of the explosion would simply be lost, +through the ends. It might or might not bring down a few masses of +rock, but one could not rely upon it doing even that. + +"If I had time, the matter would be easy enough. I should make a +deep chamber in the solid rock, at the side of the tunnel; insert +my charge, and then tamp or fasten it in, with masonry. This would +ensure its destruction, at the point of explosion; but I have no +hope of any great damage being done, by merely putting two barrels +of nitroglycerine down upon the line, and then firing them. I can +assure you the point mooted by the doctor is more serious and, as +far as I see at present, I could do nothing in half an hour which +would, in any way, ensure the destruction of the tunnel. To make +such a chamber as I speak of to hold two barrels of nitroglycerine +would be the work of four or five days, working night and day--even +with the aid of powder--and of course, it would be out of the +question to hope for as many hours." + +There was a pause of consternation, as Lieutenant Ribouville spoke. +Here was the end of the grand scheme, from which they had expected +so much. At this time, the Germans had no other line of rail at +their command; and the destruction of the tunnel would have been a +disaster, equal to that of the loss of a pitched battle. + +"There would be no chance, would there, of our hiding in the woods +under which the tunnel runs; so as to bore down to it, and blow it +in from above?" Major Tempe asked. + +"None whatever. The depth to be bored would be considerable. The +stone is hard, and it could not be pierced without the use of +powder, which would betray our presence; and even could we use it, +and were the men all good miners, it would be a work of months, at +the very least." + +There was a silence for some minutes, and then the commandant said: + +"We cannot give it up, without a trial. Think it over, Ribouville, +for the next three or four days. You may be able to pitch upon some +plan. If you cannot do so, we must at least try the experiment of +exploding our nitroglycerine in the middle of the tunnel--or, at +any rate, as far in as we can carry it--and make our retreat in the +half hour, which is all the time we can calculate upon holding the +entrance." + + + +Chapter 7: A Baffled Project. + + +Before leaving the headquarters of the commandant, the young +Barclays asked if he wished that they should continue to keep +silence upon the subject of their expedition. The commandant +replied that he did not see that it could do any harm, provided +that they impressed upon their comrades the necessity of +maintaining an absolute silence upon the subject, when any of the +people of the neighborhood were present. Although the villagers +might appear to understand no language but German, they might yet +know enough French to glean what was said and, if traitorously +inclined, to warn the Germans, and thus enormously increase the +danger when the Barclays should again go down to the town. + +Their cousins had already heard of their return; for the boys, upon +sitting down to dinner at the commandant's, had requested leave to +send a line to their cousins, who would be anxiously expecting +them. + +"Hallo! You Barclay, where have you been to, all day?" was the +general exclamation, as they entered. + +"On duty," Ralph said. + +"On duty--yes, but what duty? The Duburgs have been mysterious, and +would say nothing. The sergeant here knew nothing about it, except +that our lieutenant told him that you had leave; and Irish Tim has +been hanging about all day, as restless as a cow that has lost its +calf." + +"We have been down to Saverne," Ralph said. + +There was a general exclamation of astonishment. Those of the men +who had already lain down upon their straw for the night sat up +again, and all crowded round to hear Ralph's story, which he at +once told at length; and which, when finished, gave rise here--as +it had done at the officers' table--to an animated discussion. +Several of the men shook hands warmly with the Barclays, +congratulating them on their offer to undertake this dangerous +service, and upon the valuable--though unfavorable--information +which they had obtained. + +From this time forward, the men ceased to attempt to pass jokes at +the expense of any of the boys. When the corps was first raised, +many of the young men had been inclined to protest against boys +being accepted, when the list could have been readily filled with +men but, by this time, the boys had proved that they were quite as +capable of supporting fatigue as were the men. They had behaved +equally well in action; and now the enterprise of the Barclays +testified to the fact that, in a dangerous expedition requiring +coolness, presence of mind, and nerve, they were equally to be +relied upon. Henceforward there was no distinction, or difference, +between the various members of the corps. + +Another four days passed and--as the ex-officer of Engineers could +suggest no certain plan, for the destruction of the tunnel, which +could be carried out in the time which a surprise of the sentries +at its mouth would give them--Major Tempe resolved upon delaying no +longer; but on sending four men into the tunnel, under Lieutenant +Ribouville, with instructions to go as far as they could in a +quarter of an hour, to set down the barrels against the rock, to +light a fuse cut to burn a quarter of an hour, and then to return +at full speed to the mouth of the tunnel. + +One company was to seize the other end, to tear up seven, eight, or +ten rails, and to retire at once into the woods; as the delay in +getting the rails into their places again would prevent any train +entering, from that end, in time for its occupants to see and +extinguish the burning fuse. + +The other company--which was absent--was to join the headquarters, +the evening before the attempt; and it was hoped that the three +companies would be able to keep the enemy at bay for half an hour, +so as to give time to the party with the nitroglycerine to take it +to the required position, and rejoin their comrades. Immediately +upon their doing so the retreat was to commence; as the enemy could +not possibly penetrate the tunnel, and extinguish the fuse, before +the explosion took place. + +The attempt was not to be made till the following evening; in order +that the Barclays might go down, and see that all was as before at +Saverne, and along the line. The next day, accordingly, the boys +again put on their disguises and started; as before, taking the +precaution to change in the wood, so as not to be seen by any of +the villagers. Upon reaching the spot from which a view of the +tunnel was obtainable, they stopped, with a simultaneous +exclamation of dismay. Not only were two sentries stationed near +the entrance; but some fifteen or twenty German soldiers were +sitting or standing by a small building, at a short distance, which +had evidently been turned into a guard house. + +"This looks very much against us, Ralph. One would think that they +had got information of our being near." + +"It looks bad, indeed, Percy. Let us go on into the town. We shall, +perhaps, learn something about it, there." + +A sharp walk soon brought them to Saverne. A sentry was on duty at +the entrance to the town, and several of his comrades stood near. +The sentry looked as if about to stop them; but seeing, when they +came up, that they were only boys, he let them pass without +question. + +"Worse and worse, Percy. Something is up, sure enough." + +This became more evident at every step they took, for the little +town was absolutely crowded with German soldiers. + +"Unless they are merely halting here, upon their march through, it +is all up with our plan, Percy. There must be over two thousand men +here, at the very least." + +Upon questioning a lad of the town, of about their own age, they +found that the fresh troops had arrived upon the preceding day; the +infantry--two thousand strong--coming in by train, late in the +evening before; and three hundred cavalry marched in, only half an +hour before the boys' arrival. They were all quartered upon the +inhabitants, and there appeared to be no sign of their early +departure. + +For some time the boys walked about, without obtaining any +information; although they entered a dozen cabarets, and drank +considerable quantities of beer. At last, before one of the +principal cafes, they saw ten or twelve German officers sitting, +talking. None of the inhabitants were sitting at the cafe; and the +boys dared not go in to ask for anything, there, as it would not +have been in accordance with their appearance. + +"How are we to get within hearing, Percy?" + +"Look here, Ralph; I will limp along, as if I had something in my +shoe which hurts me. Then I will sit down on a doorstep, close to +them, and take off my boot. You can sit down, too, and take some of +the bread and cheese which we put in our pockets, because we could +not eat it at the last place we went in. I will keep my boot off, +to ease my foot; and we can eat our bread and cheese, as slowly as +we like." + +"That will do capitally, Percy." + +In another couple of minutes the two lads were sitting, as agreed, +upon the step of a door close to the cafe. They could not hear all +that was said; but could catch the sense, as the German +officers--as is their custom--spoke in a very loud voice. They +belonged to the infantry; and were, it appeared, in ignorance of +the reason of their sudden move to Saverne. + +Presently a captain of the cavalry came along the street. + +"Ah, Von Rausen," a major in the infantry exclaimed, "are you here? +I have not seen you since the day you marched from Coblentz." + +"No, indeed, major," the other said, saluting--as a Prussian +officer always does, to his superior in rank--the other infantry +officers all rising, and saluting in turn. "We have just come in +from Hagenau." + +"Are you in a hurry?" asked the major. "If not, sit down and let us +talk." + +The cavalry officer accepted the invitation and, for a few minutes, +their talk ran upon mutual friends. Then the major said: + +"By the way, do you know what we are here for? We were bustled off +at a moment's notice; no one knows why, except of course the +colonel, and he has not thought necessary to tell us and, +naturally, we have not asked him." + +"Do you not know?" Captain Von Rausen said. "It is no secret--at +least, no secret from us, but a secret from the people here. I will +speak in French; no doubt there are plenty of spies about." + +"There is no one in hearing," the major said, "except those two +stupid-looking lads, munching bread and cheese." + +"The more likely to be spies," Von Rausen said. "Fellows who look +like fools are just the people chosen." + +"Well, speak in English then, Von Rausen," the major said; "we both +understand it, and we should be safe, then, if all Saverne were +listening." + +"Yes, that will be safe. + +"Well, then, the general received information, yesterday, that that +corps of franc tireurs who cut up our cavalry near Blamont, the +other day, are hid up in some village in the woods, four or five +miles from here; no doubt with the intention of making an attempt +to blow up the tunnel. The idea is a daring one and, if the plan +had succeeded, it would have done us incalculable harm. As it is, +we are safe; and tomorrow night we shall, I believe, make an +expedition, and sweep the woods clear of these troublesome gentry. + +"These franc tireurs will be mischievous if we do not give them a +sharp lesson. The general's proclamation gave notice that every one +of them taken would be shot, and our colonel is just the man to +carry out the order." + +"This is indeed important," the major said. "But how did we get the +information? Is it certain?" + +"Quite certain. A scoundrel of a schoolmaster at Grunsdorf--a +village somewhere up in the woods--turned traitor; and sent a +letter to the general, bargaining that he should be taken on as a +spy, at some fabulous salary, and offering to begin by leading the +troops to the village where these franc tireurs are hidden." + +"An infamous scoundrel!" the major said warmly. "Of course, one +cannot refuse to deal with traitors, when the information is of +importance; but one longs to put a pistol bullet into them. Badly +as the French have come out in many particulars, since the war +began, there is not one which gives me such a mean idea of them as +the number of offers which have been sent in to supply information, +and betray their countrymen." + +"Put on your boots, Percy," Ralph said, in a low voice. "It is time +for us to be off. Don't hurry; and above all, if they should take +it into their heads to address us suddenly in French, or English, +don't start or seem to notice." + +The major was, however, so absorbed in the information he had +received--and so confident that the English, in which it had been +told, would be unintelligible to anyone who might overhear it--that +he paid no attention to the boys who--one of them limping +badly--went slowly down the street; stopping, occasionally, to look +in at the shop windows. It was not until they were fairly outside +the town, and out of sight of the German sentries, that they either +spoke or quickened their pace. + +"The franc tireurs of Dijon may thank their lucky stars that they +sent down spies to Saverne today, Percy; and especially that we, of +all the members of the corps, were selected. If we had not been +where we were, just at that moment, and if we had not understood +English, it would have been all up with the corps, and no mistake." + +"What an infamous scoundrel, as the major said, that schoolmaster +must be, Ralph! What do you think the commandant will do?" + +"He has nothing to do but to retreat, as quickly as we can go, +Percy; but if it costs him half the corps, I hope he will hang that +schoolmaster, before he goes." + +"I hope so, too," Percy said; and scarcely another word was spoken, +until they reached the village. + +It was still early, scarcely two o'clock, and Major Tempe was +drilling the whole corps--the two detached companies having arrived +that morning--when the boys, having again put on uniform, +approached him. + +Major Tempe nodded to them, as they came up. + +"You are back early," he said. "You are excused from drill. I will +see you at my quarters, when it is over." + +"If you please, major," Ralph said, respectfully, "you had better +dismiss the men, at once. We have news of the highest importance to +tell you." + +The major looked surprised but, seeing by the boys' faces that the +news was very serious, he at once dismissed the men; telling them +to keep near, as they might be wanted. Then, calling his officers, +he proceeded at once with the Barclays towards his quarters. + +"Excuse me, major," Ralph said, "but instead of going to your +quarters, would you move to some open space, where we can speak +without a possibility of being overheard by anyone?" + +Still more surprised, Major Tempe led the way to some felled trees +at the edge of the forest, a short distance from the village. Here +he sat down, and motioned to the others to do the same. Ralph then +told his story, interrupted many times by exclamations of rage, +upon the part of his auditors; and giving full credit to Percy for +his idea of the plan by which, unnoticed, they had managed to get +within hearing of the German officers. The fury of the French +officers knew no bounds. They gesticulated, they stamped up and +down, they swore terribly, they were ready to cry from sheer rage. + +Major Tempe, alone, uttered no remark during the whole narration. +When it was concluded, he sat silent for a minute or two; with his +lips pressed together, and a look of deep indignation on his face. +Then he rose, and said in a solemn tone: + +"As sure as the sun shines, and as sure as my name is Edward Tempe, +so sure shall that schoolmaster, of Grunsdorf, be hung before +tomorrow morning! + +"Lieutenant Ribouville, order the assembly to be sounded, and form +the men here in hollow square. + +"Messieurs Barclay, you will fall in with your company." + +A little surprised--and hurt that the commandant had said no word +of commendation to them, for the service they had performed--the +boys hurried off to their quarters, to get their rifles. + +"Sure, Master Ralph, and what is the matter, at all?" Tim Doyle +said, as they entered. "Sure the major, honest man, must have gone +off his head, entirely! Scarcely had we finished our male, and +began to smoke the first pipe in aise and comfort, when the bugle +blows for parade. + +"'Confound the bugle!' says I, and I shoved me pipe aside, and put +on my belt and fell in. + +"Hardly had we begun the maneuvers when your honors arrived and +said a word, private, to the major. The words weren't out of your +mouth before he dismisses us from drill. + +"'Botheration!' says I, 'is there no pace for the wicked?' + +"Back I comes again, and takes off me belt and piles me firelock; +and before I had got three draws at me pipe, and was just beginning +to enjoy the creetur when, crack! and there goes the assimbly +again. Sure and the major, honest man, has lost his head entirely; +and it's a pity, for he is an illegant man, and a good officer, +says I." + +"Come along, Tim," Ralph said, laughing, "else you'll be late for +parade. You will hear all about it in time, I have no doubt." + +In five minutes the men were all assembled in a hollow square, two +deep, facing the officers in the center The men saw at once, by the +faces of Major Tempe and the officers, that something very serious +had happened; and they had no sooner taken their places than there +was a deep hush of expectancy, for it was evident that the +commandant was about to address them. + +"My men," he said, after a pause of a minute or two, "a great +calamity has happened; and a still greater one would have happened, +had we not providentially received warning in time. It had been +resolved--as you would have heard this evening, had all gone +well--that tonight we should attack the German sentries, and blow +up the rock tunnel of Saverne. The affair would have been hot, but +it would have been a vital service to France; and the franc tireurs +of Dijon would have merited, and obtained, the thanks of all +France. It was for the purpose of the attack that the two companies +detached from us were recalled. + +"All promised well for success. Two of your number had been down +into Saverne, in disguise, and had brought us full information +respecting the force and disposition of the enemy. All was +prepared, the chance of success favorable, and the force the enemy +could have brought against us was no larger than our own. We should +have saved France, and immortalized ourselves. + +"At the present moment there are two thousand five hundred men in +Saverne. Tomorrow night this village is to be attacked, and every +franc tireur found here put to the sword." + +A cry of surprise and rage broke from the men. + +"And how, think you, has the change been wrought? By treachery!" + +Those cries of rage were renewed. + +"By treachery! A Frenchman has been found, base and vile enough to +sell us to Prussia. All hope of success is over, and we have only +to retreat." + +"Who is he? Who is he?" burst from the infuriated men. "Death to +the traitor! Death to the traitor!" + +"Yes, men, death to the traitor!" the major said, solemnly. "It is +the schoolmaster of Grunsdorf who has sold you to the Prussians; +who wrote that letter to their general, telling him of your +intentions, which has caused these great reinforcements to be sent; +and who has offered to guide a force to surround us, tomorrow +night." + +Another low cry of horror and indignation broke from the men. + +"Is it your opinion that this man has deserved death?" + +"Yes," was the unanimous answer. + +"Then he dies," Major Tempe said, solemnly. "You were to have been +his victims; you are his judges. + +"Grunsdorf is three miles from here, in the woods, not far from +Saverne. A party will be told off, presently, who will be charged +with the execution of this sentence. + +"I have now another duty. The corps has been saved from +destruction. You--all of us--have been preserved from death by the +intelligence and courage of two of your number. + +"Ralph and Percy Barclay, stand forward!" + +The two boys stepped two paces forward into the hollow square. + +"Selected by me," continued Major Tempe, "for the duty, from their +perfect acquaintance with German; they, upon their first visit to +Saverne, obtained all the information required. Upon their second +visit, this morning--finding the enemy had been immensely +reinforced--they perceived the extreme importance of discovering +the reason for the arrival of the reinforcements, and their +intention. With a coolness and tact which does them the greatest +credit, they contrived to arrive, and to remain within hearing of, +a number of officers; and then learned the whole particulars of the +treachery of this man, and of the intention of our enemies. So +important was the secret judged that the Germans were afraid of +telling it in German, or in French, lest they might be overheard. +To prevent the possibility of this, they conversed in English; and +the consequence is that we are saved, almost by a miracle. + +"Ralph and Percy Barclay, your names will be inserted in the order +of the day, being the first of the corps to whom that honor has +been given; and I hereby offer you, in the name of myself, my +officers, and the whole corps, my hearty thanks for your courage, +coolness, and devotion. + +"The parade is dismissed. The men will assemble at five o'clock, in +full marching order, with all necessaries and accouterments." + +As Major Tempe ceased speaking, the men broke up from the order in +which they had been standing, and crowded round the young Barclays; +shaking them by the hand, patting them on the shoulder, and +congratulating them heartily upon the service that they had +rendered, and upon the terms in which their commandant had thus +publicly acknowledged it. + +At five o'clock the corps assembled again in heavy marching order +and, after inspection, the second, third, and fourth companies +marched off; with their officers, who alone knew their destination, +at their head. Major Tempe remained on the ground, with the first +company. After waiting for a few minutes, they were marched off in +the direction which the others had taken but--after getting out of +sight of the village, and fairly entering the forest--they turned +sharp off, and took the direction of Saverne. + + + +Chapter 8: The Traitor. + + +After the company had marched for half an hour, a halt was called, +and their commandant said: + +"I daresay you have all guessed the object which we have in view. +We are going to carry out the sentence pronounced by the whole +corps. We are going to have that schoolmaster--that traitor--who +has sold our lives to the Prussians; and who--which is of +infinitely greater importance--has done immense injury to France, +by betraying our intention of blowing up the tunnel. That traitor I +intend to have, tonight; and if I have him, I will hang him, as +sure as fate. + +"This lane which we are following leads to Grunsdorf; which, +according to the information I collected before leaving, cannot be +above a mile distant. Now, we must be cautious. It is quite +possible that a detachment of the enemy may have been sent up to +the village, and in that case we might catch a Tartar. Even if +there are no Germans there, we must be cautious, or the bird will +escape. We neither know him, nor the house he lives in and--as he +would naturally guess that his treachery had been discovered, and +that we had come for him--he would slip out into the forest, the +instant he saw the first bayonet approaching. It is essential, +therefore, that we should obtain accurate information of the state +of affairs, and of the position of this traitor's house. + +"In another half hour it will be dusk. The Barclays have again +volunteered to go in, and find out what we require. They will go on +at once; and in an hour we will follow, and remain concealed, just +outside the village, until they return. + +"Sergeant, you will go forward with them, and agree upon the place +where we shall remain hid, until they join us. + +"Now, my lads, you have already received your instructions. Change +your things, and go forward at once." + +The distance was farther than they had expected, and it was nearly +dark before the boys entered Grunsdorf. There was no one moving in +the quiet village, for a fine rain was falling as the boys walked +slowly along. + +"There is no one to ask, Percy. We must go into the public house, +as arranged, and ask where the priest's house is. It would not do +for two strangers to ask for the schoolmaster. The priest will tell +us where he lives." + +So saying, they entered the little cabaret, walked down a long +passage leading from the door, and paused for a moment at the +threshold--for in the room were some eight or ten Prussian +soldiers. + +"It is too late to retreat, Percy. Come in boldly." + +Lifting their caps, they walked up to an unoccupied table; and +called for some bread, cheese, and beer. The landlord brought the +refreshments, and the boys had scarcely begun to eat when a +Prussian sergeant--who had exchanged a word with the landlord, +evidently in reference to them--strode up to them and, laying his +hand upon Ralph's shoulder, said: + +"Who are you, young fellows? The landlord says you do not belong to +the village." + +"We belong to a party of woodcutters, from Colmar," Ralph said, +quietly. + +Illustration: Among the German Soldiers. + +"Oh, indeed!" the sergeant said, in an incredulous voice, "and +where are your party?" + +"Out in the forest, at the place where we have begun to fell +trees," Ralph said. + +"But people do not come to cut wood without horses, or carts to +take it away," the sergeant persisted. + +"They are up in the forest with our father," Ralph said. + +"Have you heard anything about this party?" the sergeant asked the +landlord. + +The man hesitated a moment. He evidently suspected, also, that the +boys might belong to the franc tireurs; and was anxious to say +nothing which could harm them. + +"No," he said, after a pause, "I can't say that I have heard of +them; but I know some of the forest was sold, not long ago, and +they might have come from Colmar without coming this way." + +"We only arrived this morning," Percy said, quietly, "so that you +could hardly have heard of us, unless some of the people of your +place happened to pass, when we were at work; and we have not seen +anyone, all day." + +"At any rate," the sergeant said, "I shall see if your story be +true, and you will at once take us to the place. + +"Corporal, get ten men in readiness." + +"Certainly," Ralph said, "if you will allow us to finish our +supper, we will show you the way, at once." + +The sergeant nodded, and resumed his seat. + +"Look here, Percy," Ralph said, quietly, "we are in a nasty fix, +this time. There is only one thing to be done, that I can see. If +we both go they will shoot us, to a certainty; for although one +might make a bolt in the wood, it is certain we could not both get +away. + +"Only one thing is to be done. I will say your foot is bad, and ask +for you to stay here. Directly we have gone, you slip out and +go--as hard as you can--to the place where our men are hid. I will +bring them in that direction. We shall have passed the place before +you can reach it--at least, unless you can get out, at once--and +pass on in the darkness. Take off your shoes, so as to run lightly. +As we pass, fire a volley right into us; and I will make a dart +into the wood, in the confusion." + +"But you might be shot by our men, Ralph. They could not possibly +distinguish you, in the dark. No, I will go with the men, and you +make your way to Tempe." + +"No, no, Percy, I won't have that." + +"Very well," Percy said, doggedly, "then we will go together." + +There was a silence for a minute or two, and then Ralph said: + +"Look here, Percy, this is madness; however, as you won't do as I +tell you, we will draw lots. I will put a piece of crumb in one of +my hands. You shall guess which it is in. If you guess right, I +will go with the Germans. If you guess wrong, you shall go." + +"Very well," Percy said; "I agree to that." + +Ralph then broke off a small piece of bread, and put it in one of +his hands--having already, before he made the proposition, broken +off a similar piece, unobserved by Percy. He then put both hands +under the table, and then lifted them again; all the time trying to +appear not to be engaged upon anything out of the way, as he knew +that some of the Germans were watching them. + +"Left," Percy said. + +Ralph replied by opening the left hand, and dropping the piece of +bread on the table; at the same time putting his right hand back +into his pocket, as if to get out his handkerchief--and dropping, +as he did so, the piece of bread it contained into the place. + +"There, Percy, fortune has decided it. + +"Goodbye; God bless you. I daresay I shall get out of it but, if +not, give my love to them all, at home." + +Then he finished his beer and rose, without giving Percy time to +reply, even could he have done so; but the lad was so much choked, +with the effort to keep from crying, that he could not have spoken. +Ralph turned to the sergeant and--stretching his arms, with the +natural air of a tired boy, objecting to be disturbed--said: + +"Now, sir, I am ready to start. I suppose there is no occasion for +us both to go, for my brother has hurt his foot. We shouldn't have +come in, tonight; but it is his first time out with the woodmen, +and he is not accustomed to sleeping out, in the wet." + +"Yes, one is enough. He can stay," the sergeant said. + +"You had better ask the landlord to show you a corner, where you +can sleep on the straw, Karl," Ralph said. "It is no use waiting +for me. I shall be back in an hour." + +With a nod to Percy, Ralph now walked steadily to the door. The +sergeant, with the men told off for the duty, accompanied him. When +they reached the street, it was raining heavily. + +"I wonder," Ralph said, "whether the landlord would lend me a sack, +to put on my shoulders." + +"Is this place far off, youngster?" the sergeant asked, peering out +into the darkness. + +Ralph's heart gave a jump; for he detected, in the tone, a certain +hesitation as to taking the men out in such a night, upon such +slight suspicion. He was, however, too shrewd to show any desire to +dissuade the sergeant from it, so he replied: + +"No, it is no distance to speak of; not a mile, at most. We should +be there and back in half an hour, if it was light; but there is +only a path among the woods and it is dark. + +"I think we had better have some lanterns, for I do not think I +could find my way without them, tonight; at any rate, it would take +us much longer." + +"There, boy, that will do," the sergeant said, laying his hand on +his shoulder. "I am satisfied, now, with the truth of your story. I +thought, for a bit, you had something to do with the franc tireurs +who are about here, but I see I was mistaken. + +"Turn in again, lads. It is no use taking you out on a useless +search, such a night as this, among these forests." + +Ralph laughed aloud, as they turned to go down the passage again to +the corner. + +"Won't father laugh," he said, "when he hears that you thought I +was a franc tireur. We haven't seen any, about Colmar. I don't +think you need be afraid of them, if they ain't bigger or older +than I am." + +By this time they had entered the room again, and Ralph saw that +Percy was already talking to the landlord--with whom, indeed, he +was on the point of leaving the room. He turned round, upon hearing +the party come in again, and gave a slight start of pleasure. + +"I am soon back, Karl, and am glad that it is so for, frankly, I +too am tired; and it is not a night for a dog to be out. I will go +in with you." + +"Stay, landlord," the sergeant said. "Give the boys another glass, +each, before they go off." + +"Thank you," Ralph said. "A glass of good beer never comes amiss." + +The boys stopped, while the landlord filled their glasses. + +"Now," said the sergeant, raising his arm. "Here's a health, to +King William." + +"Here's a health, to King William," Ralph repeated. "I am sure I +wish him no harm. + +"And now, with your permission, I will be off." + +The landlord led them to an outhouse, in which were some trusses of +straw. Just as he was about to leave them, Ralph said, suddenly: + +"Ah! I had nearly forgotten about the priest. You have a priest +here, have you not?" + +"Of course," the landlord said. "Do you take us for heathens?" + +"Not at all," Ralph said, apologetically; "but father told me to +call, and pay him for some masses. My eldest sister was very ill, +when we came away, and father worries about her. + +"Where does the priest live?" + +"The last house on the left, as you go out from the farther end of +the village. But anyone will show you it, in the morning. + +"You don't want the light any longer?" + +For the boys had, while speaking, been taking off their boots, and +making a show of preparing to lie down on the straw. + +"No, thank you. Good night. + +"Oh, I forgot--what do you charge, a cask, for your best beer? +Father wanted to know and, if the price suits, will send down a +cart to fetch it." + +The landlord named the price, and then said good night, and left +them. + +When he returned to the room where he had left the German soldiers, +the sergeant asked him a question or two concerning the boys; and +the landlord repeated the substance of the conversation which he +had just had. This allayed the last suspicions which had remained +in the sergeant's mind; and he congratulated himself, greatly, that +he had not taken his men out, in such a night, upon a mere +groundless suspicion. + +"If the landlord repeats that yarn to the Germans, it will allay +all suspicion," Ralph said, when they were left alone. "Otherwise +the sergeant might have taken it into his head to come to have a +look at us and, although it would not very much matter that he +should discover that the birds had flown, still it would have put +him on his guard, and he might have doubled the sentries, and made +it much more difficult for us. + +"We have had a very narrow squeak for it this time, Percy, old +boy." + +"Very, Ralph! I would rather go through twenty battles, again, than +feel as I felt when I saw you start, and thought that I should +never see you again, alive." + +"Well, we have no time to lose now, Percy. Have you got your boots +on again? If so, let us start at once. The major and men must be +very anxious, long before this. It must be full an hour since we +came." + +"It has been the longest hour I ever passed, Ralph. There now, I am +ready, if you are." + +"We must go out very quietly, Percy. I have no doubt that they have +got sentries posted all about. They know that we are in the +neighborhood I wish I knew how many there are of them." + +"I found out, from the landlord, that all the fifteen men we saw +here were billeted upon him," Percy said. "He told me at first, +when I asked him, that he could do nothing for me in the way of a +bed, because there were three or four in every room. I said that a +stable and a little straw would do for us, very well, and then he +thought of this outhouse. + +"At the same rate, there must be at least a hundred men in the +village." + +They now opened the door of the outhouse, went quietly out, and +made their way through a garden at the back of the house towards +the wood. + +"Stand still a few minutes, Percy," Ralph said, in a whisper, "and +let us see if we can find out where the sentries are placed. I +expect that they form a cordon round the village. + +"Lie down by this wall. We can see them, there, and they cannot see +us." + +It was well that they did so for, in another minute, they heard a +tread quite close to them; and a Prussian soldier passed, within a +yard of where they were lying. They could dimly see that his hood +was over his head, and hear that he was humming to himself a scrap +of some German air. They lay there until he had again passed the +spot; and then--having found out the direction of his beat--they +crawled noiselessly away and, in five minutes, had reached the edge +of the forest. + +They did not enter it, as it would have been impossible--in the +dense darkness--to have made their way without running against +trees, and snapping off boughs, which would have given the alarm. +They therefore skirted the edge--knowing that, with the trees +behind them, they would be invisible at the distance of a yard or +two--and in ten minutes reached the place where their company was +awaiting them. As they approached the spot, they gave a short, low +whistle; which was the agreed sign, among the band, for knowing +each other on night expeditions. It was answered at once and, in +another minute, they were among their friends. + +"What has happened?" Major Tempe asked. "We were getting very +anxious about you. I sent Favarts to reconnoiter, ten minutes ago; +and he has just returned, saying that he can hear someone pacing +backwards and forwards on the road, and that he believes it to be a +sentry." + +"He was quite right," Ralph said; "the village is full of Germans. +There must--as far as we can see--be seventy or eighty of them, at +the very lowest; and there are probably a hundred. We have been +prisoners, or something very like it, and have had a monstrously +close shave of it. + +"But I will tell you all that, when we have time. Do you still +think of carrying out your plans?" + +"Certainly," Major Tempe said, "that schoolmaster I am determined +to have, even if we fight our way in, and shoot him in bed. Have +you found out where he lives?" + +"No, sir, but we have found out where the priest lives. It is this +end house: the end of the village, on the left-hand side as you +come out." + +"Are the sentries very close together?" + +"They are pretty close, but not too close to prevent our crawling +between them, unobserved, on such a night as this." + +Major Tempe hesitated for a while. + +"It would be too hazardous," he said. "We know nothing of the +ground over which we should have to crawl, and it would be hardly +possible for thirty men--with our accouterments, and firearms--to +crawl along without snapping sticks, or striking rifles against a +stone and giving the alarm. + +"No, the sentry at the entrance of the village must be silenced." + +So saying, the commandant turned to the men who were standing +round, and explained briefly the purport of the whispered +conversation which he had had with Ralph. He then chose two active +young men, and told them to take off their cloaks, belts, and +accouterments of all kinds; and to leave them, with their rifles, +with the men who were to remain at the spot at which they then +were--to cover their retreat, if necessary. They were to take +nothing with them but their sword bayonets--which were not to be +used, except in case of necessity--and a coil of light rope. +Definite instructions were given them as to the manner in which +their attack was to be made. + +They then took off their boots, and set off noiselessly upon their +enterprise. They went on rapidly, until they were within plain +hearing of the footsteps of the sentinel; and then very cautiously +and, crouching almost to the ground, so as not to bring their +bodies on a level with his eye, they crept up foot by foot to the +end of his beat. Here they waited a short time, while he passed and +repassed them, unthinking of the deadly foe who, had they stretched +out their hands, could have touched his cloak as he went past them. + +At last, the second time he passed them on his way towards the +village, they rose together behind him. In an instant one had +garroted him--with a choking grip, that almost strangled him, and +prevented him uttering the slightest sound--while the other grasped +his rifle by the lock, so as to prevent the possibility of its +being fired. In another instant, the rifle was torn from the grasp +of the almost stupefied man; cords were passed tightly round his +arms and legs; a handkerchief was thrust into his mouth, and +fastened there by a cord going across the mouth and tied behind the +head and, before the bewildered man fairly knew what had happened, +he was lying bound and gagged by the roadside. + +One of the franc tireurs now ran back, to tell the commandant that +the men could advance; while the other--selected specially because +he understood a little German--put on the spiked helmet of the +captured sentry, and began to walk up and down, in readiness to +repeat the cry of "All well," should it be passed round. + +The whole company were now moved up. Ten men were left at the point +where the sentry was posted, to cover a retreat; or to assist the +sentry, in case of any party coming out to relieve guard, and so +discovering the change which had taken place. The others, led by +the commandant, proceeded forward until opposite the priest's +house, in which lights were still burning; for it was not, as yet, +ten o'clock. + +Major Tempe, accompanied only by two men--and by Ralph Barclay, to +interpret, if necessary--now went cautiously up to the house. The +light was in a room on the ground floor. To this Major Tempe +advanced and, looking in, saw the priest sitting reading, alone. He +tapped very gently at the window; and the priest, looking up, gave +a start upon seeing an armed man looking in at the window. + +Major Tempe put his finger to his lips, to enforce the necessity +for silence, and made signs to him to open the window. After a +moment's hesitation the priest rose from his seat, came to the +window, and unfastened it; taking great precautions against noise. + +"Are you French?" he asked, in a whisper. + +"Yes; a commandant of franc tireurs." + +"Hush, then, for your life," the priest said, earnestly. "The +village is full of Prussians. The officer, with a soldier as his +servant, is upstairs. He arrived in a state of fever; and is, +tonight, quite ill. The soldier is up with him. I believe the +sergeant, who is at the inn, is in command for to-night. A soldier +was dispatched, this evening, to ask for another officer to be sent +out. + +"What can I do for you?" + +"I only want you to tell me in which house the schoolmaster lives. +He is a traitor, and has betrayed us to the Prussians. It is owing +to him that they are here." + +"He has a bad name, in the village," the priest said; "and we had +applied to have him removed. He lives in the third house from here, +on the same side of the road." + +"Has he any Germans quartered upon him?" + +"Twenty or thirty men," the priest said. "The schoolroom is full of +them." + +"Do you know which is his room?" Major Tempe asked. "It would be a +great thing, if we could get at him without alarming the enemy. I +have thirty men here, but I do not want to have a fight in the +village, if I can help it." + +"I know his house," the priest said. "The schoolroom is at the side +of the house, and his sitting room and kitchen on the ground floor +of the house itself. There are three bedrooms over. His room is in +front of the house, to the right as you face it." + +"Thank you," Major Tempe said. "Have you a ladder?" + +"There is one lying on the ground by the wall, to the left. I hope +you do not intend to shed blood?" + +"No," Major Tempe said, grimly. "I think that I can promise that +there will be no blood shed--that is to say, unless we are attacked +by the Prussians. + +"Good night, and thank you. I need not say that--for your own +sake--you will not mention, in the morning, having seen us." + +The commandant now rejoined his party, and they advanced to the +house indicated. He then chose ten men to accompany him; ordering +the rest to remain at a distance of twenty yards, with their rifles +cocked, and in readiness for instant action. The ladder was then +brought forward by the men selected, and placed against the window. + +Major Tempe had, before starting, provided himself--from the +carpenter of the village--with an auger, a small and fine saw, a +bottle of oil, and a thin strip of straight iron. He now mounted +the ladder and, after carefully examining the window--which was of +the make which we call, in England, latticed--he inserted the strip +of iron, and tried to force back the fastening. This he failed in +doing, being afraid to use much force lest the fastening should +give suddenly, with a crash. He had, however, ascertained the exact +position of the fastening. + +Having, before mounting, carefully oiled the auger and saw, he now +applied the former; and made a hole through the framework at the +junction of the two sides of the window, just above the fastening. +Introducing the saw into this hole, he noiselessly cut entirely +round the fastening, with a semi-circular sweep, to the junction of +the window below it; and as he did so, the window swung partially +open, by its own weight. He now descended the ladder again, took +off his boots; and ordered two of the men to do the same, and to +put aside all arms, and accouterments, that could strike against +anything and make a noise. + +Then, taking a coil of strong rope in his hand, and followed by the +two men, he again mounted the ladder. The instructions to the men +were that one was to enter at once, with him; the other to remain +where he was, until he received the signal. The major entered the +room noiselessly, and dropped at once on to his hands and knees; +and was, a minute after, joined by his follower. He now crawled +forward--groping his way with the greatest caution, so as to make +no noise--until he found the bed. Then, rising to his feet, he +threw himself upon the sleeping man and, in a moment, had him +tightly by the throat with one hand, while the other was placed +firmly on his mouth. + +Paralyzed by the suddenness of the attack, and with his arms +tightly kept down by the bedclothes, and the weight of his +assailant, the schoolmaster was unable to struggle. + +"Now, light the light," Major Tempe said, quietly. + +His follower at once struck one of the noiseless German +matches--which are used almost exclusively, in these parts of +France--and lighted a lamp which was standing upon the table. He +then came up to the bed, and assisted the major to securely gag and +bind the prisoner--whose looks, when he saw into whose hands he had +fallen, betokened the wildest terror. + +"Search his pockets," Major Tempe said. "We may find something of +importance." + +In the breast pocket of his coat was a pocket book; and in it among +the papers was a letter, from the colonel commanding at +Saverne--which had evidently been brought to him by the officer of +the detachment, that morning--telling him to come down to Saverne, +on the following evening, to guide the troops to the village in +which the franc tireurs were stationed. The letter also enclosed +ten hundred-thaler notes [a thaler is about equal to two +shillings]. + +"They are part of our blood money," the major said, grimly. "Bring +them away, they are the fair spoil of war. + +"Tell Barre to come in." + +The man on the ladder now joined them; and together they quietly +lifted the schoolmaster, and carried him to the window. They then +fastened a rope round the prisoner's body, lifted him out on to the +ladder, and lowered him gradually down to the men below. + +They now blew out the light, and descended the ladder. The two men +who had waited at its foot raised the prisoner on their shoulders, +and carried him off to their comrades; while the commandant and the +other two men hastily put on their boots, seized their arms and +accouterments and, in two minutes, the whole party were marching +quietly down the village. No incident, whatever, marked their +retreat. The sentry had been undisturbed, during their absence; and +in a few minutes the whole party were out of the village, without +the slightest alarm having been raised. + +They followed the road by which they had come, for about a mile; +and then turned off a side path in the forest, to the left. They +followed this for a short distance, only, into the forest; and +then, when they arrived at a small, open space, a halt was ordered. +The prisoner was dropped unceremoniously to the ground, by the two +franc tireurs who carried him on their shoulders, and a fire was +speedily lighted. + +Major Tempe then ordered the prisoner to be unbound and ungagged +and, with a guard upon either side of him, to be placed in front of +the company--drawn up in a semi-circle by the fire. The prisoner +was a man of about fifty-five, with a sallow, cunning face. He +could scarcely stand and, indeed, would have sunk on his knees, in +his abject terror, had not the guards by his side held him by the +arms. + +"Men," Major Tempe said, "undoubted as the guilt of the prisoner +appeared to be, we had got no absolute proof; and a mistake might +have been possible, as to the name of the village whose +schoolmaster had betrayed us. This letter found in his coat pocket, +and this German money--the price of our blood--leave no further +doubt possible." + +And here the major read the Prussian colonel's letter. + +"Are you still of opinion that he merits death?" + +"Yes, yes," the men exclaimed, unanimously. + +"Prisoner," Major Tempe said, "you have heard your sentence. You +are a convicted traitor--convicted of having betrayed your country, +convicted of having sold the blood of your countrymen. I give you +five minutes to ask that pardon, of God, which you cannot obtain +from man." + +The miserable wretch gave a cry of terror, and fell on his knees; +and would have crawled towards his judge, to beg for mercy, had not +his guard restrained him. For the next five minutes, the forest +rang with alternate cries, entreaties, threats, and curses--so +horrible that the four boys, and several of the younger men, put +their hands to their ears and walked away, so as not to see or hear +the terrible punishment. At the end of that time there was a brief +struggle, and then a deep silence; and the body of the traitor +swung from a branch of one of the trees, with a paper pinned on his +breast: + +"So perish all traitors." + +"Louis Duburg," Major Tempe said, "take this paper, with 'Those who +seek a traitor will find him here,' and fasten it to a tree; so +that it may be seen at the point where this path turned from the +road." + +Louis took it, and ran off. In a quarter of an hour, when he +returned, he found the company drawn up in readiness to march. He +fell in at once, and the troop moved off; leaving behind them the +smoldering fire, and the white figure swinging near it. + + + +Chapter 9: A Desperate Fight. + + +Daylight was just breaking, when Major Tempe marched with his men +into Marmontier; at which place the other three companies had +arrived, the night previously. It was a large village--the chief +place of its canton--and the corps were most hospitably received by +the inhabitants. Had they arrived the evening before, it would have +been impossible to provide them all with beds; and they would have +been obliged, like the majority of their comrades, to sleep on +straw in the schoolroom. The inhabitants, however, were up and +about, very shortly after the arrival of Major Tempe's command; and +his men were soon provided for, in the beds which they had left. + +Beds were now a luxury, indeed, as the corps had not slept in them +since they had been quartered at Baccarat, two nights before their +first encounter with the Prussians, near Blamont. It was with great +unwillingness, then, that they turned out when the bugle sounded, +at two o'clock in the afternoon. They partook of a hearty +meal--provided by the people upon whom they were quartered--and an +hour later the whole corps marched out towards Wasselonne, a small +town situated on the Breuche; a little river which, winding round +by Molsheim, falls into the Rhine at Strasburg. A branch line of +railroad terminates at this place. + +When they arrived within three miles of it, they turned off to the +right--for Wasselonne had frequently been visited by the +Prussians--and slept at the little village of Casswiller, at the +edge of the forest of OEdenwald. Another day's short, but weary, +marching over the mountains brought them to the village of Still; +lying high upon the western slope of the Vosges, above Mutzig. + +From this point they had a splendid view over the valley of the +Rhine. From their feet, at Mutzig, the railway ran through Molsheim +straight across the country to Strasburg; the beautiful spire of +whose cathedral rose above the flats, at a distance of about +fifteen miles. The day happened to be a quiet one, and the deep +booming of the guns of the besiegers could be distinctly heard. The +inhabitants reported that the German troops patrolled the whole +valley, pushing sometimes down to the walls of Schlestadt, levying +contributions and carrying off cattle. + +The village was very poor, and was able to furnish little +accommodation in the way of quarters, still less in that of food. +Six of the villagers were, therefore, sent through the forest of +OEdenwald to Raon; with an order to fetch over two oxen, and thirty +sheep, of those left there in charge of the head man of the +village. They returned in three days, Raon being only about fifteen +miles east of Still. + +The corps was now broken up into its four companies; who were +stationed in the villages on the Vosges, and at the edge of the +forest of Trieswald and Bar--the first company remaining at Still. +From these villages they commanded a view over the whole plain; and +could, with the aid of glasses, distinctly see any bodies of men +going south from Strasburg. Each company was to act independently +of the other, uniting their forces only when ordered to do so by +Major Tempe; who took up his headquarters with the second company, +that having the most central position. Each company was to keep a +sharp watch over the country, to attack any body of the enemy not +superior to themselves in force, and to cut off, if possible, any +small parties pillaging in the villages of the valley, near the +foot of the mountains. + +The first company--under their lieutenant, De Maupas--turned their +special attention to Mutzig; which was not, they learned, actually +occupied by the Germans, but which was frequently visited by +parties from Molsheim, where a portion of the army of the besiegers +was stationed. The young Barclays, their cousins, and Tim Doyle +were quartered together, in one of the largest houses in the +village; and from thence a fine view over the plain was attainable. + +They were not destined to remain long in inactivity. Upon the +fourth day after their arrival, they saw a party of some twenty +horsemen approaching Mutzig. In five minutes every man had +assembled and, at once, rapidly marched down the hill; taking +advantage of its irregularities, so as to follow a track in which +they would be invisible from the road. Making a long detour, they +gained the road about half a mile beyond Mutzig and, posting +themselves among some trees by its side, awaited the return of the +Uhlans. + +It was upwards of two hours before they returned. They were +laughing, and singing; and the boys felt a sensation of repugnance, +as they raised their rifles to their shoulders, and awaited the +order to fire into their unsuspecting foes. They had not, as yet, +become hardened to the horrors of war. As the word was given, the +rifles flashed out; and six of the horsemen fell. The rest, putting +spurs to their horses, galloped furiously away. Molsheim was so +close--and the enemy might come back again, largely reinforced, in +so short a time--that the order was given to retreat, at once. + +Reaching the hill and looking back, an hour later, they saw a dark +mass coming from Molsheim; and the glasses soon made them out to be +about a hundred cavalry, and as many infantry. It was dark as they +entered Mutzig and--although it was not probable that they would +ascend the hill, at night--sentries were thrown out, far down its +sides, to give the alarm; and the men were ordered to hold +themselves in readiness for an immediate retreat to the forest. It +happened that none of the boys were on duty and, just as they were +sitting down to dinner, Tim--who had been out to fetch some +wood--came running in. + +"Heavenly Mother! The brutes are setting fire to Mutzig, your +honor." + +The boys ran out. Below, a mass of red flame was rising; and it was +evident that several houses were in flames. The sight was a grand one, +for the light showed the outline of the slopes of the hills and, +reflected on the roofs of the houses of the little town, made them +look as if red hot. Out upon the plain, round Molsheim, were the +scattered lights of innumerable camp fires while, in the distance, +flickering flashes--like the play of summer lightning--told of the +ceaseless rain of fire kept up upon the unhappy town of Strasburg. + +"What a shame!" Percy said, indignantly; "as if the inhabitants of +Mutzig could help our attacking the Uhlans. + +"Look, Ralph, there are six distinct fires." + +"I suppose that is one for each man we killed or wounded, Percy. +You may be sure they will make them pay, too. Thirty thousand +francs, I should think, at least. + +"War used to be looked upon as a chivalrous proceeding. There is no +romance in German warfare. They call us a nation of shopkeepers; +they make war, themselves, in the spirit of a nation of petty +hucksterers." + +"What do you think of that, lads?" Lieutenant de Maupas said, +coming up to where they were standing. + +"It is shameful, sir, shameful," Ralph said. + +"Yes," the officer said, gloomily. "This is to make war as the +Vandals made it, not as it is made in the nineteenth century. In +the Crimea, in Italy--ay, even in China--we did not make war in +this way. In China we burnt the Emperor's summer palace, because +his soldiers had murdered our prisoners in cold blood, but we did +not burn a single village." + +"No," Ralph said; "and I have read that, in Abyssinia, we never as +much as took a fowl or a bundle of grass from the natives, without +paying for it; and we only burned the fortress of Magdala after +offering it, in succession, to the various kings of the country; +and destroyed it, at last, to prevent it becoming a stronghold of +the Gallas--the enemies of Abyssinia. + +"Don't you think," he asked, after a pause, "we shall have fighting +tomorrow, sir?" + +"I think it very likely, indeed," the lieutenant said. "I have just +sent off a messenger to the commandant, with a full report; and +asked him to send over a reply whether he will come to our +assistance, or if we are to fall back." + +"Faith, and I hope that it's not falling back we'll be, till after +we've had the satisfaction of spaking to them a bit," Tim Doyle put +in. "Barring the little affair of today--which isn't worth +mentioning--I haven't had a chance of a scrimmage since I joined +the corps. It's been jist marching and counter-marching, over the +most onraisonable country; nothing but up hill and down hill and +through trees, with big stones breaking our poor feet into pieces, +and the rain running down us fit to give us the ague. + +"Sure, lieutenant, ye won't be for marching us away, till we've had +a little divarshin?" + +The boys all laughed at Tim's complaint, which had been delivered +in English; for although he could now understand French, he never +attempted to speak it, except to ask some necessary question. Percy +translated it to the lieutenant. + +"You will have fighting enough, before you have done, Tim. Whether +you will have it tomorrow, I don't know. There are a hundred +infantry--they can't use their cavalry--and we are only twenty-six +men, all told. Fortunately, we have a strong line of retreat; or I +should not even wait for the chance of being attacked." + +"At any rate, you think that we are safe until morning, sir?" + +"Yes, I think so," the lieutenant said. + +"Then we will go in to our dinner," Ralph said. "Who knows where we +may dine, tomorrow?" + +Day was just beginning to break, when Percy Barclay started up in +his bed. He listened for an instant, and heard the crack of a +rifle. + +"Up, Ralph; up all of you!" he shouted. "We are attacked." + +The others were on their feet in an instant. None of them had +thought of undressing and, as they seized their arms and +equipments, the whistle of Lieutenant de Maupas sounded loud and +shrill. As they issued out there was, already, a scene of bustle +and confusion in the village. The franc tireurs were rushing from +the doors. The villagers were also pouring out, women screaming and +men swearing. + +"You had better drive off your animals up into the forest, and +carry off whatever you can of value, and send the women and +children off, at once," De Maupas shouted, to the head man of the +village. "We will give you as much time as we can but, if they are +in full strength, it will not be long. + +"Now, lads, forward! Don't throw away a shot. Take advantage of +every possible cover, and fall back as slowly and steadily as you +can. The commandant will be here, with the second company, in half +an hour. I had a message from him, late last night." + +The men advanced at once, at the double, and in an instant had a +view of what was going on. The six men out, as sentries, were +falling back rapidly towards the village; and two dark bodies of +infantry were approaching, abreast of each other, but at a distance +of two or three hundred yards apart. They were some five hundred +yards beyond the retreating sentries; who were, themselves, a few +hundred yards below the village. The enemy had, at present, made no +reply whatever to the fire of the sentries. + +"Advance slowly, in skirmishing order," De Maupas said. "One flank +of the company oppose each column. Open fire at once, sight for +seven hundred yards, take advantage of cover, and fire steadily." + +A steady fire was at once opened and, although its effects could +not be perceived, they were evidently sensible; for the columns +immediately threw out half their strength, as skirmishers, and +opened fire. In a hundred paces De Maupas halted his men, and told +them to lie down behind shelter. + +The enemy were now five hundred yards off, and the franc tireurs +had been joined by the sentries. The numbers were four to one and, +although the position was of considerable advantage to the smaller +force--as well as the fact that they were lying quiet, in shelter, +while their adversaries had to fire as they advanced--the odds were +far too great to hope for success. Every moment, however, it was +getting lighter; and the franc tireurs could see that their fire +was doing considerable execution, whereas only two of their men had +received slight wounds. The enemy, however, pushed on steadily; and +were now little more than three hundred yards distant. + +"Fall back," the lieutenant shouted; "six men, alternately, of each +half company. Back fifty paces, at the double!" + +At the word, twelve men retreated, at full speed, for fifty yards; +the others redoubling the fire from their breechloaders, to cover +the retreat. The instant that the first men had gone fifty yards, +they turned, threw themselves upon the ground, and opened fire; +while those in front ran back at full speed, passed them, and +halted, in turn, fifty paces in the rear. The maneuver was repeated +three times, and they then gained the end house of the village. + +Under shelter of a low wall, another stand was made; but the +superior force of the enemy enabled them to threaten to outflank +them. Many of the Germans had fallen; but the rest advanced, with +as much coolness and precision as if on parade. + +"How beautifully these fellows do fight!" Ralph exclaimed, in +admiration. + +"Now, lads, we must retreat," the lieutenant said. "We have done +very well. Now, across the village, and then make for the forest as +hard as you can. It's not over five hundred yards. When you are +once there, make a stand again." + +The men turned and, in another moment, would have carried out the +order when--from a house in a line with them, but about fifty yards +off--a heavy fire of musketry suddenly broke out. + +"Hurrah, lads, there's the commandant! Stand to your wall; we'll +thrash them, yet." + +Staggered by this sudden and heavy fire, the Germans paused; and +then fell back, to a spot where a dip in the ground sheltered them +from the fire from above. For a short time, there was a cessation +of the fight. At this moment, the commandant joined the first +company. + +"Well done, indeed!" he exclaimed. "Gallantly done, lads! We heard +the firing, and feared you would be crushed before we could get up. +It is fortunate I started half an hour before daybreak. We have +done the last two miles at a run. + +"Have you suffered much?" + +There was a general look round. Four men had fallen, in the +retreat. Another lay dead, shot through the head as he fired over +the wall. Four others were wounded; three seriously, while Ralph +Barclay had a ball through the fleshy part of his arm. + +"Fortunately," Major Tempe said, "half a dozen men from the other +village volunteered to come over to help the wounded. I will send +them over here, at once. They can take some doors off their hinges, +and carry these three men right back into the forest, at once. We +have not done yet. + +"Get your men into skirmishing line, De Maupas. I will form mine to +join you. Occupy the line of gardens, and walls." + +Scarcely was the movement effected, when the Germans again appeared +on the hillside. They had still a very great superiority in +numbers; for the two companies of franc tireurs only numbered, now, +forty-five men, while the Germans--who had lost upwards of twenty +men--were still nearly eighty strong. + +Ralph Barclay still kept his place in the ranks. Tim Doyle had +bandaged up his arm; for Percy, who had at first attempted it, had +nearly fainted at the sight of the blood. The Irishman was in the +highest glee; and occasionally indulged in whoops of defiance, and +in taunting remarks--which would not have flattered the enemy, +could they have heard and understood them. + +The Germans, as they emerged from their shelter, were about four +hundred yards distant; and the fire at once recommenced. The franc +tireurs were all lying down, and this gave them a great advantage +over the Germans and, the disparity of numbers being less, the +fight raged with greater obstinacy than before. Very gradually, the +enemy won their way--taking advantage of every rock and inequality +of ground--until they were within two hundred yards of the village. +Nearer than this they could not come, for the ground was open and, +in the face of the force in shelter, armed with breech loaders, it +would have been madness to have attempted a rush. + +For some time, the combatants remained in the same position; merely +exchanging an occasional shot, when a head or a hat was exposed. At +last, Major Tempe became uneasy at the prolonged inaction upon the +part of the enemy. + +"De Maupas," he said, "run up to the upper story of that house, and +try and see what they are doing. Look all round. I don't like this +long hesitation. They are greatly superior in force, and know it. I +think that they must be going to try some flanking movement." + +The lieutenant obeyed and, going up to the upper story of the house +pointed out by his commander, peered cautiously out. As far as he +could see, nothing was stirring. The Germans appeared to be lying +in the little hollow in which they were sheltered. He was about to +descend, when he remembered his orders to look around in all +directions. He therefore went to a window at the end of the house, +and looked carefully out. + +As he did so he gave a start; and his heart seemed, for a moment, +to stand still. Then, with a bound, he reached the door, sprang +downstairs, and rushed out to where Major Tempe was standing, +behind a wall. + +"The cavalry are upon us," he said. "They are not five hundred +yards off. They have made a great detour and are--" + +Major Tempe stopped to hear no more. + +"Fall back, men," he shouted. "Keep well together. The cavalry are +upon us. Now, at a double to the forest, for your lives. + +"Steady, steady!" + +The men sprang from the position behind which they had been firing, +fell in hurriedly in the street; and then went off, at a fast +double, towards the forest. There were a few trees near, but no +shelter sufficient to be of any use nearer than five hundred yards. +Fortunately they were unimpeded by wounded, every man having been +carried back into the forest, immediately he was struck. Still, it +was evident that they could not gain the forest in time. They had +seen the leading horsemen turn into the end of the village, not +more than three hundred yards distant, as they started; and the +carbine balls were already whizzing over their heads. + +With the rapidity and steadiness which mark the movements of the +Prussian cavalry, they formed in line as they issued from the +village and, before the fugitives were halfway to the forest, a +line of horsemen, fifty abreast, were in full gallop behind. Then +followed another, of equal strength, fifty yards behind. The franc +tireurs, with their rifles and accouterments, were already +slackening their speed. + +"We must form square, major. They are not a hundred and fifty yards +behind," De Maupas exclaimed. "We can beat them off, easily +enough." + +Major Tempe shook his head, and shouted cheerily: + +"Keep on to the last moment, men, well together. I will tell you +when the moment is come. Hold your rifles in readiness." + +In ten more seconds, he gave the word. The men were in readiness, +and the square was formed as if by magic. The Uhlans were not more +than eighty yards off. + +"File firing," the major shouted. "Steady! Don't throw away a +shot." + +Now was the time for breech-loading weapons, and so deadly was the +fire that the center of the Prussian line melted away before it; +and the men who remained reined aside their horses, as they reached +the hedge of bayonets. The flanks kept on, and united again behind +the square; drawing up near the edge of the wood, a hundred and +fifty yards distant. + +The charge of the second line was attended with precisely similar +results. The instant that they had passed, however, Major Tempe +shouted to his men: + +"On again for the woods. Steady! Keep square. Reserve your fire +till I tell you. We must break through the cavalry. They only want +to keep us. Their infantry will be here in three minutes. They are +through the village, already." + +The position of the franc tireurs was now critical in the extreme. +The enemy's cavalry--between them and safety, only a hundred yards +distant--had unslung their carbines, and opened fire. The infantry +were nearly two hundred yards behind but, fortunately, dared not +fire for fear of hitting their own cavalry. + +At a rapid pace--for they were running for life--the little knot of +franc tireurs dashed forward. One or two fell from the fire of the +cavalry and, as they were fifty yards distant from the wood, there +was a cry and Philippe Duburg fell to the ground. In an instant Tim +Doyle--who was his next man--stopped, caught him up as if he had +been a feather and, with a desperate effort, again joined the +others, just as they were within twenty yards of the cavalry. + +"Fire!" Major Tempe cried; and from the front, and from each side +of the little square--which was but six deep, either way--the +rifles flashed out. + +"Level bayonets; charge!" + +There was a short struggle. The second ranks poured their fire into +the cavalry line. There was a clashing of bayonets against swords, +and then the band ran through the broken line of cavalry. There was +a rush into the brushwood; and then, from behind the shelter of the +trees, the fire opened again; and the cavalry fell sullenly back, +having lost upwards of thirty men in that short five minutes since +they had left the village. + +The German infantry halted, at a distance of two hundred yards; but +they would have lost too many men, in crossing the open, to make it +worth while to attack the sheltered foe--who could pick them off, +to the last moment, only to withdraw deeper into the forest when +they approached its edge. Accordingly they too fell back, +exchanging fire with the franc tireurs until they gained the +shelter of the village. + +The conflict over. The men sank, exhausted, upon the ground where +they stood. Major Tempe went round to each; saying a word of +praise, and giving a little of the brandy--with which he had filled +his canteen, before starting--with some water from their own kegs. +Then he gave a sharp whistle, and the men again gathered round him. + +"Once more, lads, I must thank you for your conduct," he said. "You +have defended yourselves against forces, altogether, four times +your own. You fairly kept at bay an infantry force of twice your +own number. You have withstood a charge of cavalry, also double +your own strength; and have performed the unusual feat of +successfully charging cavalry. You have inflicted a very heavy loss +upon the enemy. Not less than forty of the infantry must have been +placed hors de combat; and fifteen or twenty of the cavalry, at the +lowest estimate. Altogether, although forced to fall back, the +affair is more creditable than many a brilliant victory. + +"Our own loss has been heavy--as heavy, in proportion to our +numbers, as that of the enemy--though, owing to an advantage of +position, while engaged with the infantry, it is actually far less +than theirs. Still, lads, it is very, very heavy," and the major +looked round, with a saddened face, on the diminished band. + +"Our only consolation is that our friends have died doing their +duty, and setting a noble example. If all Frenchmen were but +animated with a spirit like that which, I am proud to say, animates +the franc tireurs of Dijon, there are few of the invaders who would +ever recross the Rhine. + +"Lieutenant Ribouville, go through the muster roll of the two +companies. Our brave friend De Maupas has, alas! fallen. He was at +my side when a rifle ball struck him, in the temple." + +The list was now called over, and the result was a sad one. The two +companies, including officers, had gone into the fight fifty-five +strong. Only thirty-one answered to their names. Besides these, +eight had been removed farther into the forest, severely wounded; +and Philippe Duburg lay a short distance off--the surgeon being +employed bandaging his leg, which a rifle ball had entered, above +the knee. Fifteen, therefore, were dead or missing--which, as the +Germans bayoneted all wounded franc tireurs, was the same thing. Of +the thirty-one who answered to their names, nine had wounds more or +less severe; and the surgeon, with his assistants, had work on his +hands which would take him far into the night. + +The instant that they were dismissed from parade, the boys hurried +to their cousin. He was very pale from loss of blood, but was +perfectly sensible. His brother sat on a bench beside him, holding +his head on his knee. + +Philippe smiled faintly as the boys came up. + +"I am so glad you have escaped," he said, in a low voice. + +They clasped his hand. + +"Does it hurt you much, Philippe?" + +"Not very much; not so much as I should have thought." + +"Did the doctor say anything about it, Philippe?" + +"Yes, he said that it had just missed the great arteries; and that +he thinks it struck the bone, and has glanced up somewhere; but he +can't say till he probes it, when--" + +"Then your leg is not broken?" + +"No, he says it is certainly not broken, but it may be splintered." + +"Thank God for that, anyhow," the boys said. + +"We owe his life to Tim Doyle," Louis said. "I was not next to him; +and did not see him fall, or know he was hit till I saw Tim come +up, with him on his shoulders--and even if I had, I could not have +lifted him, and carried him off. Tim saved his life. There is no +doubt about that." + +As it was evident that Philippe was too weak to talk, and would be +better for being quiet awhile, the boys now left him with his +brother. + +Looking through the trees towards the village, a dense smoke could +now be seen rising in several places and, in a few minutes, the +whole village was in a blaze. Moved by the sight, the unfortunate +inhabitants came out from their hiding places in the forest; +wringing their hands, crying, and cursing the invaders. In spite of +the advice of Major Tempe, several of the women went off towards +the scene of conflagration, to endeavor to save some little +household treasure from the flames. In a short time one of them +returned to fetch her husband, saying that the enemy had all left +before they reached the village, and were already far down the +hillside. Major Tempe at once sent forward the unwounded men; to +assist the villagers to put out the fire, and to save property. +Their efforts were, however, altogether unavailing; the Germans had +scattered large quantities of petroleum, before leaving, upon the +beds and such other furniture as they could not carry away, or +destroy. + +It was a pitiable sight to see the poor homeless people sitting +about, looking at the ruins of their houses. Some cried piteously; +others gazed with listless faces, but with a cold despair even more +painful to see. Fortunately, they had saved all their animals but, +at present, they were too much absorbed in the thoughts of what +they had lost, to bestow even a thought of satisfaction on what +they had saved. + +Major Tempe, grieved and touched at the painful scene of which he +and his men had been the cause, called the franc tireurs together; +and made a proposition to them, which was at once heartily agreed +to. He then called together the cure and schoolmaster and--after a +few well-chosen words of regret, at the ills which he and his had +involuntarily brought upon the village--he handed over to them, in +the name of the whole corps, the hundred pounds in thaler notes +which had been found upon the schoolmaster whom they had executed +for treachery; to be distributed among the inhabitants, according +to their necessities. + +The offer was gratefully received, and the priest and schoolmaster +at once went round and told the poor people, whose gratitude and +delight were unbounded. To so poor a population, the sum seemed +immense; and although it would not replace what was destroyed, it +would go far towards making their abodes habitable. The village +only contained about twenty houses. The walls were still standing. +Timber for the roofs and floors was to be had for cutting, in the +forest. Bushes for thatching could be found in abundance. The +principal portion of the houses, therefore, would cost only labor, +and this money would suffice to keep them alive, while engaged upon +it; and enough would remain to get at least a few blankets to lay +upon the straw--which would, for the time, serve for beds--together +with a few other simple necessaries. The sale of a portion of the +animals would do the rest and, in their gratitude to the franc +tireurs, for having thus relieved their first and most pressing +difficulties, the inhabitants altogether forgot the ill-feeling +which they had before felt against them, as the authors of their +disaster. + +After burying their dead, the men set to work to assist the +villagers in building temporary huts--or rather bowers--to the edge +of the forest; in which, before nightfall, they had the +satisfaction of seeing them installed. The few articles of bedding, +blankets, etc. saved at the approach of the Prussians were spread +on heaps of freshly-cut grass; and one of the oxen of the franc +tireurs, which had arrived the day before, was killed and divided. +Great fires were lighted and--had it not been for the bandages on +the heads, and the arms in slings of several of the franc +tireurs--no one coming upon the scene would have guessed how +desperate a skirmish had raged here. + +The next day the carts which had been sent for arrived; and the +wounded were placed in them, upon heaps of straw, and sent off with +one of the surgeons; with instructions to travel among the hills, +until they reached a point where it would be quite safe to descend +into the valley, and take the train to Dijon, at the first station +at which it was open. Among them was Philippe Duburg, who was +accompanied by his brother. Louis had obtained a week's leave of +absence, for the purpose; and was the bearer of letters, and +innumerable messages, from the boys to their parents and sisters. A +few hours later, the remnants of the first and second companies +marched to join their comrades. + + + +Chapter 10: The Bridge Of The Vesouze. + + +The very day after the fight, news arrived which induced a sudden +change of position. Upon the Sixteenth of September the Baden +troops occupied Mulhouse, having entered Colmar on the preceding +day. It was evident that the railway was so strongly guarded, +between Strasburg and Nancy, that it was hopeless to expect to be +able to interrupt it, seriously, with so small a force as that at +Major Tempe's command; still less possible was it to render any +assistance, whatever, to the doomed city of Strasburg. After taking +counsel, therefore, with his officers, Major Tempe decided to march +more to the south; so as to assist to oppose the passage of the +enemy west from Colmar, or Mulhouse, through the passes of the +Vosges. + +The alarm was, however, but temporary for, having made requisitions +as usual, the Prussians retired; and the corps returned to their +old quarters. There another ten days passed; spent not in ease, but +in constant marchings and counter-marchings. Whenever news arrived +that any parties of Uhlans were approaching the mountains, with the +object of making requisitions, the corps were instantly set in +motion. Sometimes severe skirmishes were the result. Sometimes the +news turned out to be untrue and, after a long day's march, and a +night spent watching, the men had nothing to do but to march back +again. + +Upon the 28th came the news of the surrender of Strasburg, upon the +preceding day, after one of the most heroic defenses in history. +There was now no doubt that the Germans would, ere long, advance +seriously. By this time, the total of the French forces among the +Vosges mountains was considerable. Scarce a day passed without the +arrival of a corps of franc tireurs and--had all these corps been +animated with a spirit such as that evinced by the franc tireurs of +Dijon; and had they acted in unity, with discipline and +intelligence--they might have rendered immense services to France. + +Unfortunately, this was very far from being the case. Very many of +the men had entered the ranks only to avoid being called upon to go +out with the Mobiles--or mobilized national guard. Others had only +entered from the impulse of the moment. Very many were altogether +unwilling to submit to any steady discipline while, in a great +number of cases, the corps were completely paralyzed from the utter +incapacity of their officers. Owing to these various causes, the +corps of franc tireurs distinguished themselves, in a great number +of cases, only by the extreme ingenuity and foresight which they +displayed in keeping at a prudent distance from the enemy. Some, +too, earned a bad name not only for themselves, but for the whole +body of franc tireurs, by their conduct towards the villagers; +helping themselves freely to what they required, and making +themselves almost as much dreaded by the peasantry as even the +Germans, themselves. + +At the same time the villagers had, in very many cases, only +themselves to blame for the rough measures adopted by the franc +tireurs; for often, instead of doing all in their power for the men +who had taken up arms in the cause of France, the villagers looked +upon them only as strangers, out of whom the richest possible +harvest was to be obtained; and charged the most exorbitant prices +for all articles of necessity supplied to them. In fact, they +sometimes did not hesitate to say that they would not provide them, +at any price, with the provisions required; as these would be +wanted to satisfy the requisition of the Germans, upon their +arrival. + +Perhaps in the whole world there is no class of people so +completely engrossed by the thought of gain as are the French +bourgeois, and rustic population. Every change of Government, every +political alteration, every law passed, is regarded by them simply, +and solely, from the view of how it will affect their own pockets. +Thus, instead of driving away their flocks and herds, at the +approach of the invaders; the people remained quietly in their +houses, and shamelessly trafficked with the invaders. This apathy, +faint heartedness, and want of patriotism, upon the part of the +inhabitants of the small towns and villages, caused innumerable +difficulties to the franc tireurs; and Major Tempe was sometimes +obliged to take the law into his own hands, when the villagers +absolutely refused to sell provisions, or to give quarters to his +men. + +In these cases he summoned the priest, the schoolmaster, and two +other head men of the place, and formed a committee with them and +his own officers. These fixed a fair price upon the articles +required, and Major Tempe then sent round a notice to the effect +that, if these articles were furnished in two hours, they would be +paid for at the agreed rates; but that if not furnished, he should +quarter his men upon the inhabitants, in accordance with the size +of their houses, and should remain there at least a week--a threat +that never failed in producing the required effect. + +It was but seldom, however, that the major encountered any +difficulties of this sort. The corps was, for the most part, +composed of men with some money. They had now, too, sold the sheep +and cattle which they had captured at Blamont; finding the +inconvenience of sending for them, whenever meat was required. The +proceeds of these, and of the horses captured at the same time, had +given them a good sum in their regimental chest; and they were, +therefore, able and willing to pay a fair price for such articles +as they required. Besides this, the report of the actions of +Blamont and Still had now widely circulated and--as a general +thing--the people were glad to do all in their power, for a corps +composed of men who really meant work, and had given good proofs of +their courage and energy. + +By this time, the boys had received several letters from home; and +it may be readily imagined the pleasure these letters afforded +them. Major Tempe's official report of the doings of his corps had +been published in the Dijon papers and, from these, had been copied +far and wide through France; and the people of Dijon were not a +little proud of their corps. The names of the two Barclays had +appeared, in the report, as specially distinguishing themselves; +and their father had written, saying how pleased and gratified he +was at their conduct. Mrs. Barclay and Milly had also written; but +their expressions of pleasure were mingled with many hopes that the +boys would not expose themselves, unnecessarily. + +The band had dwindled much, in the month since they left Dijon. +Upwards of thirty had been killed, or disabled, in the fights of +Blamont and Still. Half as many more had been killed or wounded in +smaller skirmishes; and ten or twelve had gone home, or into +hospital, completely knocked up with the hard work and exposure. +Only about sixty men, therefore, remained. + +Schlestadt and Neu Brisach were now invested by the Germans and, +after waiting for a few days, to ascertain the course that they +were likely to take, Major Tempe determined (as General Cambriels +was forming an army, down by Besancon) to defend the upper passes +of the Vosges and--as it was rumored that a second German army was +likely to advance south, from Nancy--that he would recross the +Vosges, and aid in the defense against this second army of +invaders. + +Three days' fatiguing marches brought them to Epinal; where the +boys, in accordance with their promise, went straight to the house +of the gentleman who had so hospitably served them, at their last +visit. Their friends were delighted to see them, and expressed +great regret that one of the party was missing. The boys were, +however, able to say that their last letter from Dijon had given +good accounts of Philippe Duburg, who was now considered out of +danger. There was, however, no hope of his being able to rejoin +them; as the surgeon considered it probable that his leg would be a +very long time, before it would be sufficiently healed to allow him +to use it. + +Their host had read the account in the papers of the doings of the +franc tireurs; and his wife laughingly made a further apology to +the Barclays, and their cousin, for her remark at their first visit +about boys. + +"My girls have talked about nothing else but your doings, ever +since we had the news of your attack upon the Uhlans, near +Blamont," she said. "One would think, from the interest they take +in the corps, that the whole future of France depended upon the +franc tireurs of Dijon." + +The young Barclays laughed, and Percy muttered something under his +breath; while Louis Duburg replied, seriously, that he hoped the +franc tireurs of Dijon would always do their best to deserve the +kind thoughts of mademoiselles--at which piece of politeness Percy +muttered, "Bosh!" + +Epinal had, as yet, escaped; but it was feared that, ere long, the +enemy would advance. The town looked deserted, for all the young +men had left with the Mobiles--or mobilized national guard--and all +men under forty were drilling, in readiness to march at a moment's +notice. No serious movement of the enemy, south of Luneville, was +as yet signalized. + +After two days' rest, the corps again marched north; their +destination being kept a profound secret, even from the men. So +anxious, apparently, was Major Tempe that, this time, their object +should not be foiled by treachery; that after the first day's march +he left the main road and, having secured the services of a +peasant, as a guide, he made two long days' marches through +forests, and over mountains--avoiding even small villages. Four led +horses accompanied the march; one laden with the gun cotton, and +the other three carrying provisions, so that they might be +independent of the local supply. Each night they bivouacked in the +forests but, as the weather was now fine--although the nights were +cold--this was no hardship, whatever. + +Upon the morning of the fourth day from their leaving Epinal, Major +Tempe told his men that he had learned, at Epinal, that the line +was no longer so closely guarded as before--the Germans being +confident, now, of the impotence of the French to harm them--and +that they were now in the forest of Moudan, within three miles of +the railway between Luneville and Rechicourt, on the line to +Strasburg. His intention was to reconnoiter that day and--if +success should be found possible--to attempt, at daybreak next +morning, to blow up the railway bridge over the Vesouze. + +The news was received with great satisfaction, as the corps were +burning to distinguish themselves; and in no way could they do such +service as to cut the line of communication--although, as the +Germans were no longer dependent upon a single line, the advantage +would not be of so signal a nature as it would have been, could +they have cut it at the time when they first made the attempt. The +Barclays were naturally selected to reconnoiter and, as their +change of clothes had been always--by Major Tempe's orders--carried +on the baggage horse, they had no difficulty upon that score. + +Their expedition was uneventful. At the village nearest to the +bridge, they went in and bought some cheese and other articles +and--after gaining all the information they were able, without +exciting attention--they made their way, through broken ground, to +a point near enough to the bridge to enable them to reconnoiter it, +undiscovered. + +A sentry was posted at each end. At a cottage hard by were ten +others, while there were twenty in the village they had just left. +There were also sentries down the line; but these were far enough +apart to render it certain that they could not muster in time to +interfere, seriously, with the enterprise. With this information, +they returned to the forest. + +A council of war was held; and it was decided that the news was +satisfactory, and that the attack should take place at daybreak. +Each man was instructed in the work he would have to perform. +Lieutenant Houdin, with thirty men, was to surprise the German +party in the village. The rest--having made a detour to avoid the +village--were to be in readiness to attack the posts near the +bridge, immediately a gun was fired in the village. The attack was +to be made at daybreak. From the bridge, to the nearest point where +the forest was thick enough to afford a safe shelter, was a +distance of about two miles. + +As soon as it became dark, the camp fires were allowed to bum low; +and shortly afterwards the whole corps, with the exception of the +sentries, were sound asleep. At four o'clock they were roused, and +marched silently off in the appointed direction. By five o'clock +each party was at its post and, for half an hour, they lay in +expectancy. The Barclays were with Major Tempe's party, near the +bridge. Louis Duburg, and Tim, were with the party at the village. + +The attack upon the village was to take place at half-past five; +and never did moments appear so slow, to the boys, as those which +passed as they awaited the signal. At last the silence was broken +by the sharp crack of a rifle, followed by three or four others. + +"There goes the Prussian sentry, and there is our reply," Major +Tempe said. "Now, lads, forward!" + +As he spoke, the sentry on the bridge fired his rifle; immediately, +this was repeated by the next sentry on the line, and the signal +was taken up by each sentry, until the sound died in the distance. +As it had done so, the franc tireurs had made a rush forwards. They +were met by a straggling discharge from the Germans as, half +asleep, they hurried out from the guard room. This was answered by +the fire of the franc tireurs, who surrounded them. Five fell; and +the others, surprised and panic stricken, threw down their arms. +They were instantly secured, and the bridge was at once seized. + +The firing still continued in the village; but in another five +minutes it ceased and, shortly afterwards, Louis Duburg ran up with +the tidings that the village was taken. The Germans, surprised in +their beds, had offered but a slight resistance. Four were killed, +and sixteen taken prisoners; one franc tireur, only, was slightly +wounded. + +"Take two men with you," Major Tempe said, "and escort those five +prisoners to the village. Give them over to Lieutenant Houdin; and +tell him to send them, with the prisoners he has taken, under +charge of six men to the forest. Let their hands be tied behind +their backs, for we cannot spare a larger escort. Tell him to be +sure that the escort are loaded, and have fixed bayonets. Directly +he has sent off the prisoners let him join me here, with the rest +of his force." + +Lieutenant Ribouville now set to work to inspect the bridge; and +ordered the men--who were provided with the necessary implements--to +set to, and dig a hole down to the crown of the principal arch. It +was harder work than they had expected. The roadway was solid, the +ballast pressed down very tightly, and the crown of the arch covered, +to a considerable depth, with concrete. Only a few men could work at +once and, after a half-hour's desperate labor, the hole was nothing +like far enough advanced to ensure the total destruction of the +bridge, upon the charge being fired. In the meantime the Prussian +sentries were arriving from up and down the line and, although not +in sufficient force to attack, had opened fire from a distance. + +"Don't you think that will do, Ribouville?" Major Tempe asked. + +"No, sir," the other replied. "It might blow a hole through the top +of the arch, but I hardly think that it would do so. Its force +would be spent upwards." + +At this moment Ralph--who had done his spell of work, and had been +down to the stream, to get a drink of water--came running up. + +"If you please, Lieutenant Ribouville, there is a hole right +through the pier, just above the water's edge. It seems to have +been left to let any water that gets into the pier, from above, +make its escape. I should think that would do to hold the charge." + +"The very thing," Lieutenant Ribouville said, delightedly. "What a +fool I was, not to have looked to see if such a hole existed! + +"Stop work, men, and carry the barrels down to the edge of the +water." + +The stream was not above waist deep; and the engineer officer +immediately waded into it, and examined the hole. He at once +pronounced it to be admirably suited to the purpose. It did not--as +Ralph had supposed--go straight through; but there were two holes, +one upon each side of the pier, nearly at the same level, and each +extending into the center of the pier. The holes were about four +inches square. + +The barrels of gun cotton were now hastily opened on the bank, and +men waded out with the contents. Lieutenant Ribouville upon one +side, and Ralph upon the other, took the cotton and thrust it, with +long sticks, into the ends of the hole. In five minutes the +contents of the two barrels were safely lodged, the fuse inserted, +and the operation of tamping--or ramming--in dry sand, earth, and +stones commenced. + +"Make haste!" Major Tempe shouted. "Their numbers are increasing +fast. There are some fifteen or twenty, on either side." + +A brisk fire of rifles was now going on. The day had fairly broken; +and the franc tireurs, sheltered behind the parapet of the bridge, +on the bank of the river, were exchanging a lively fire with the +enemy. Three-quarters of an hour had passed since the first shot +was fired. + +Suddenly a distant boom was heard, followed in a few seconds by a +slight whizzing noise, which grew rapidly into a loud scream and, +in another moment, there was an explosion close to the bridge. The +men all left off their work, for an instant. + +"And what may that be, Mister Percy? A more unpleasant sound I +niver heard, since I was a baby." + +"I quite agree with you, Tim, as to its unpleasantness. It is a +shell. The artillery are coming up from Luneville. The fire of the +sentries would take the alarm, in a couple of minutes; give them +another fifteen to get ready, and half an hour to get within range. + +"Here comes another." + +"Are you ready, Ribouville?" the commandant shouted. "They have +cavalry, as well as artillery. We must be off, or we shall get +caught in a trap." + +"I am ready," was the answer. + +"Barclay, strike a match, and put it to the end of your fuse, till +it begins to fizz. + +"Have you lit it?" + +"Yes, sir," Ralph said, a moment later. + +"So have I," the lieutenant said. "They will burn about three +minutes. + +"Now for a run!" + +In a couple of minutes the franc tireurs were retreating, at the +double; and they had not gone a hundred yards when they heard the +sound of two tremendous explosions, following closely one upon +another. Looking back, they saw the pier had fallen in fragments; +and that the bridge lay, a heap of ruins, in the stream. + +"Hurrah, lads!" shouted the commandant. "You have done your work +well. Those who get out of this with a whole skin may well be proud +of their day's work. + +"Don't mind the shells," he continued, as two more of the missiles +burst, in quick succession, within a short distance of them. "They +make an ugly noise; but they won't hurt us, at this distance." + +The German artillerymen had apparently arrived at the same +conclusion, for they now ceased to fire; and the retreating corps +were only exposed to an occasional shot from the infantry, who had +followed them from the bridge. + +"The artillery and cavalry will be up, before we reach the wood," +Percy said to his brother, as they trotted along, side by side. + +"They may come up," Ralph said, "but they can do us no harm, on the +broken ground; and will catch a Tartar, if they don't mind." + +The ground was indeed unfavorable for cavalry, and artillery. It +was broken up with the spurs of the hill. Here and there great +masses of rock cropped out of the ground, while patches of forest +extended over a considerable portion of the ground. In one of +these, standing upon rising and broken ground, Major Tempe halted +his men; and opened so heavy a fire upon the enemy's cavalry, when +the column appeared, that they were at once halted; and although, +when the artillery arrived, a few shells were fired into the wood, +the franc tireurs had already retired, and gained the forest +without further molestation. Upon calling the roll, it was +discovered that six men, only, were missing. These had fallen--either +killed or wounded--from the fire of the enemy's infantry, during the +time that the operation at the bridge were being carried out. + +There was great rejoicing at the success of their enterprise, the +effect of which would certainly be to block the traffic along that +line, for at least a week. Their satisfaction was, however, +somewhat damped by the sight of several dense columns of smoke in +the plain; showing that the Germans had, as usual, wreaked their +vengeance upon the innocent villagers. The feeling of disgust was +changed to fury when some of the peasants--who had fled into the +woods, upon the destruction of their abodes--reported that the +Germans, having found that three of the franc tireurs were only +wounded, had dragged them along to the entrance to the village; and +had hung them there upon some trees, by the roadside. Had it not +been for Major Tempe's assurance, that their comrades should be +avenged, the franc tireurs would at once have killed their +prisoners. + +In the evening the men were formed up, the prisoners ranged in +line, and twelve were taken by lot; and these, with the officer +taken with them--when night fell--were bound and marched off, under +a guard of thirty men. Neither of the boys formed part of the +escort, which was an immense relief to them for, although they were +as indignant as the rest, at the murder of their wounded comrades +by the Germans; and quite agreed in the justice of reprisal, still, +they were greatly relieved when they found that they would not have +to be present at the execution. + +Two hours later Major Tempe returned, with the escort. The officer, +and eleven of his men, had been hung on trees by the roadside, at a +distance of half a mile, only, from the village; the twelfth man +had been released, as bearer of a note from Major Tempe to the +German commanding officer saying that, as a reprisal for the murder +of the three wounded franc tireurs, he had hung twelve Germans; and +that, in future, he would always hang four prisoners for every one +of his men who might be murdered, contrary to the rules of war. + +This act of retributive justice performed, the corps retreated to +join the army of the Vosges, under General Cambriels. The news of +the destruction of the bridge across the Vesouze had preceded them; +and when, after three days' heavy marching, they reached the +village which formed the headquarters of the general, they were +received with loud cheers by the crowds of Mobiles who thronged its +little streets. It was out of the question to find quarters; and +the major therefore ordered the men to bivouac in the open, while +he reported himself to General Cambriels. + +The commandant of the franc tireurs was personally known to General +Cambriels, having at one time served for some years under his +command; and he was most warmly received by the veteran, one of the +bravest and most popular of the French generals. As general of the +district, he had received all Major Tempe's reports; and was +therefore acquainted with the actions of the corps. + +"Ah, major!" he said, after the first greetings, "if I had only a +few thousand men, animated with the spirit and courage of your +fellows, the Germans would never get through the Vosges. As it is I +shall, of course, do my best; but what can one do with an army of +plow boys, led by officers who know nothing of their duty, against +troops like the Germans? + +"As for my franc tireurs, they are in many cases worse than +useless. They have no discipline, whatever. They embroil me with +the peasantry. They are always complaining. The whole of them, +together, have not done as much real service as your small band. +They shoot down Uhlans, when they catch them in very small parties; +but have no notion, whatever, of real fighting. + +"However, I cannot thank you too warmly. Your name will appear in +the Gazette, tomorrow, as colonel; and I must ask you to extend the +sphere of your duties. We want officers, terribly; and I will +brigade four or five of these corps of franc tireurs under your +orders, so as to make up a force of a thousand men. You will have +full authority over them, to enforce any discipline you may choose. +I want you to make a body to act as an advanced guard of +skirmishers to my army of Mobiles. I have a few line troops, but I +want them as a nucleus for the force. + +"What do you say?" + +"Personally, general, I should greatly prefer remaining with my own +little corps, upon every man of whom I can rely. At the same time, +I should not wish for a moment to oppose my own likings, or +dislikings, to the general good of the service. Many of these corps +of franc tireurs are composed of excellent materials and, if well +led and disciplined, would do anything. I can only say I will do my +best." + +"Thank you, Tempe. Is there anything else I can do for you?" + +"I should like to see a step given to the three officers serving +under me," the major said. "They have all served in the regular +army, and all have equally well done their duty." + +"It shall be done; and two of them shall be posted to other corps, +while one takes the command of your own," the general said. "Do you +wish commissions for any of the men?" + +Major Tempe named three of the men, and then added: + +"The two members of the corps who have most distinguished +themselves I have not mentioned, general, because they are too +young to place over the heads of the others; at the same time, +their services certainly deserve recognition. I mentioned them, in +the dispatches I sent to you, as having done immense service by +going down, in disguise, into the midst of the Germans. In fact, at +Saverne they saved the corps from destruction. They are two young +English lads, named Barclay." + +"I remember distinctly," General Cambriels said. "They speak French +fluently, I suppose, as well as German?" + +"Both languages like natives," the major answered. + +"And can they ride?" + +"Yes, admirably," Major Tempe said. "I knew them before the war, +and they are excellent horsemen." + +"Then they are the very fellows for me," General Cambriels said. "I +will give them commissions in the provisional army, at once; and +put them upon my own staff. They would be of great value to me. + +"You will spare them, I hope?" + +"I shall be extremely sorry to do so, general; but for their own +sakes, and for the good of the service, I will of course do so." + +"Thanks, colonel. I shall put the franc tireurs of Dijon in general +orders, tomorrow, as having performed good service to the country; +and please to thank them, in my name, for their services." + +"Thank you very much, general. It will give me more pleasure than +even the step that you have been kind enough to give to myself." + +"Good evening, colonel. We must have a long chat together, one of +these days. + +"The chief of my staff will give you the names of the corps to be +placed under your orders. The matter was settled this morning, and +I have picked out the best of those here. Orders have been sent for +them to assemble at Raoul--a village, a mile from here--in the +morning; with a notification that they are placed under your +command. + +"Goodbye." + + + +Chapter 11: A Fight In The Vosges. + + +Upon Colonel Tempe's rejoining the men--who were already busy +preparing their suppers--he ordered the assembly to be sounded and, +when they were formed up, he formally thanked them, in the name of +the general, for the service that they had rendered; adding that +they would appear in general orders, upon the following day. + +The men replied with a cheer of "Vive la France!" + +Their commander then informed them that he, himself, had received a +step in rank and would, in future, command them with several other +corps; that Lieutenant Ribouville would, in future, be their +special commander, with the rank of captain; that the other two +lieutenants would be promoted; and that three of their number would +receive commissions and, while one of them remained under Captain +Ribouville, the others would--with the newly-made captains--be +attached to other corps. The two Barclays would receive commissions +as officers, on the staff of General Cambriels, himself. + +When Colonel Tempe finished speaking, the boys could hardly believe +their ears; and looked at each other, to inquire if they heard +aright. There could be no mistake about it; for Colonel Tempe +called them forward and, shaking hands with them, congratulated +them on the promotion which, he said, they had well earned. The men +gave a hearty cheer; for the young English lads were general +favorites, for their good temper and willingness to oblige. + +Directly the men were dismissed, the colonel again called the lads +to him. + +"I am sorry to lose you," he said, "but of course it is for your +good. Come with me, at once, to General Cambriels. I will introduce +you, and you had better ask for four days' leave. You can get the +railway in four hours' ride from here. You will have no difficulty +in finding a place in some of the commissariat cities going to +fetch stores. If you start tonight, you can catch a train before +morning, and be in Dijon quite early. A couple of days will be +sufficient to get your uniforms made, and to buy horses. + +"Your cousin will go with you. I gave him leave, last night, to +start upon our arrival here. He is not so strong as you are; and +the surgeon says that he must have rest, and quiet. He is quite +worn out. + +"Now, pile your rifles--you will not want them any more--and come +with me. I have said good night to the general, but he will excuse +me." + +Still bewildered, the boys did as they were ordered. As they were +piling their rifles, they heard a loud blubbering. Looking round, +they saw Tim Doyle, weeping most copiously. + +"What is the matter, Tim?" + +"Matter! Your honor, ain't yer going to lave us? What am I going to +do, at all?" + +The boys hurried away, without reply--for Colonel Tempe was waiting +for them--and, on the way to headquarters, mentioned Tim's grief at +parting with them. + +The general received the lads most kindly and, at once, granted +them four days' leave to go to Dijon, to procure uniform. + +Colonel Tempe then said: + +"You do not want orderlies, do you, general?" + +"I do, indeed," the general answered. "I have about a dozen cavalry +men, of different regiments, who form my escort and act as +orderlies; but they are my entire force of cavalry." + +"I have an Irishman in my corps, general, who only joined to be +near these young fellows. He was brought up among horses; and you +have only to put him in a hussar uniform, and he would make a +capital orderly, and would act as servant to your new staff +officers." + +"By all means," the general said; "send him over, in the morning. +We will make a hussar of him, in half an hour; we have got a few +uniforms in store." + +What a meeting that was, near Dijon! The boys, upon reaching the +station, had found a train on the point of starting; and it was +seven in the morning when they reached the town. The shops open +early, in French country towns; and although their tailor had not +as yet taken his shutters down, he was up and about, and willingly +measured them for their new uniforms--promising that they should +have them, without fail, the next afternoon. They then walked up to +the cottage; and dropped in just as the party, there, were sitting +down to breakfast. + +There was a loud exclamation from Captain Barclay, and a scream of +delight from their mother, and Milly; and it was a good ten minutes +before they were sitting round the table, talking coherently. It +was but six weeks since they had left, but it seemed like years; +and there was as much to tell, and to talk about, as if they had +just returned, after an absence of half a lifetime, in India. + +"How long have you got leave for?" was one of the first questions. + +"Only four days," Percy said. "The corps has now joined the army of +the Vosges, and will act regularly with it. A move forward will +take place, in a few days, so that we could not ask for longer." + +"Only four days!" Mrs. Barclay and Milly repeated, aghast. + +"It is not much, mamma," Ralph put in, "but it is better than +nothing. You see, you did not expect us at all." + +"Quite so," Captain Barclay said, cheerfully. "It is a clear gain, +and we waste the time in regretting that it is not longer. It is a +great delight to have you back again, even for a few hours. You +both look wonderfully well, and fully a year older than when you +left. Roughing it, and exposure, evidently suits you. + +"Has Louis come back with you?" + +"Yes, papa, he has come back to stay, for some time. He is +completely done up, and the surgeon has ordered rest and quiet, for +a while. + +"How is Philippe?" + +"He is getting on well; and will walk, the doctor hopes, in another +fortnight, or three weeks; but I have not seen him for--although +your uncle comes in, as usual, for a chat with me--Madame Duburg +has never forgiven me for having, as she says, influenced him in +allowing the boys to go; and of course, since this wound of +Philippe's, she has been more angry than ever." + +The boys laughed. They understood their aunt's ways. + +"Tim has not been hurt, I hope?" Milly asked. + +"Oh no; Tim is as well as ever, and the life and soul of the +corps." + +As breakfast went on, the boys gradually related the changes that +were taking place: Major Tempe's promotion to be colonel, and the +fact that he was placed in command of several corps of franc +tireurs, who were hereafter to act together. They said no word, +however, about their own promotion; having agreed to keep that +matter secret, until the uniforms were completed. They had also +asked their cousin to say nothing about it, at home; as otherwise +their uncle would have been sure to have come in to congratulate +them, and the secret would have been at an end, at once. + +An hour later, Monsieur Duburg came in to see them. After the first +talk, he said to Captain Barclay: + +"The way in which your boys have stood the fatigue is a proof, in +itself, how much the prosperity of a nation depends upon the +training of its boys. England is strong because her boys are all +accustomed, from their childhood, to active exercise and outdoor, +violent games. In case of a war, like this which we are going +through, almost every man could turn soldier, and go through the +fatigues of a campaign; and what is more, could make light of--not +to say enjoy--them. + +"Here, upon the contrary, our young fellows do nothing and, in an +emergency like the present, want both spirit and strength to make +soldiers. Almost all the boys who went from here in Tempe's corps +have returned, completely worn out. Even Louis is a wreck; +although, thanks to the companionship of your boys, he has +supported it better, and longer, than the majority of them. Had he +began, as a child, to take pleasure in strong exercise; no doubt he +could have stood it as well as Ralph and Percy, who look absolutely +benefited by it. Unfortunately, I allowed my wife's silly objection +to prevail; until the last three years, when I insisted that they +should do as they liked. + +"As I have said before, Barclay, I say again: I congratulate you on +your boys. You have a right to be proud of them. I wish the race of +young Frenchmen were only like them." + +Great indeed was the astonishment--upon the afternoon of the +following day--when Ralph and Percy walked into the sitting room, +dressed as staff officers; feeling a little awkward with their +swords, but flushed with an honorable pleasure and pride--for their +epaulets had been gained by no family interests, no private +influence. They were worn as the reward of good service. Captain +Barclay wrung the boys' hands, silently. Their mother cried with +delight, and Milly danced round the boys like a small possessed +one. + +"It is not for the absolute rank itself, boys, that I am pleased," +their father said, when they had related the whole circumstances; +"for you have no idea of remaining in the French service and, +consequently, the rank will be of no use to you, after the end of +the war. Still, it is a thing all your lives to be proud of--that +you won your commission in the French army, by good service." + +"What I am thinking of most," Mrs. Barclay said, "is that, now they +are officers in the regular army, they will run no risk of being +shot, if they are taken prisoners." + +"We don't mean to be taken prisoners, mamma. Still, as you say, it +is certainly an advantage in favor of the regular uniform." + +"And what is to become of Tim?" Milly asked. + +"Oh, Tim is going to become a hussar, and act as one of the +general's orderlies; and be our servant, when he has nothing else +to do. You see, now we are officers, we have a right to servants." + +"I am very glad Tim is going with you," Mrs. Barclay said. "My +brother tells us that he saved Philippe's life, and it seems a +comfort to know that he is with you." + +The next morning Captain Barclay went down with them to the town, +and purchased a couple of capital horses which, by great good +fortune, were on sale. + +Upon the morning of the fourth day of their visit, the boys took +leave of their father and mother, and left to join the headquarters +of General Cambriels. The parting was far less trying than it had +been, the first time they went away. The boys were not, now, going +out to an unknown danger. Although the risk that a staff officer +runs is, absolutely, somewhat greater than that incurred by a +regimental officer; still, it is slight in comparison with the risk +run by a franc tireur, employed in harassing an enemy, and in +cutting his communications--especially when capture means death. +Those who remained behind were encouraged partly by this thought, +but still more by the really irrational one that, as the boys had +gone away and come back safe, once, they would probably do so +again. + +The evening of the same day, the Barclays reported themselves for +duty to the general and, next morning, began work. Their duty was +hard, though simple. By day they were constantly on duty--that is to +say, either riding over the country, or waiting near the general's +quarters in readiness for a start or--more seldom--writing, and +drawing up reports in the office. By night they took it in turns +with the other staff officers to be on duty--that is to say, to lie +down to sleep in uniform, with the horse saddled at the door, in +readiness to start at an instant's notice. + +Tim's duties as an orderly were not heavy, and were generally over +by five o'clock; after which he acted as servant to the boys. It +was impossible, under the circumstances, for the staff to mess +together, as usual. There was neither a room available nor, indeed, +any of the appliances. Among Tim's other duties, therefore, was +that of cooking. They had also another orderly allotted to them, +and he devoted himself to the care of the horses; Tim undertaking +all other work. + +The boys liked their new duties much. The work was hard, but +pleasant. Their fellow officers were pleasant companions, and their +general most kind, and genial. + +A week after they had joined, General Cambriels advanced into the +Vosges to oppose the Prussians, who were marching south. The +progress of the army was slow, for they had to carry what supplies +they required with them. Colonel Tempe kept, with his command, a +few hours' march ahead; and one or other of the boys was frequently +dispatched with orders, etc. to obtain reports from him. + +After three days' marching, they neared the enemy. All was now +watchfulness, and excitement. The franc tireurs were already +engaged in skirmishing and, early one morning, Ralph received +orders to ride forward and reconnoiter the enemy's position. +Passing through the posts of franc tireurs, he rode cautiously +along the road; with his hand on the butt of his revolver, and his +horse well in hand--ready to turn and ride for his life, on an +instant's notice. + +Presently, as the road wound through a narrow gorge, lined with +trees, he heard a voice say, close in his ear, "Stop!" + +He reined in his horse, and drew his pistol. The leaves parted; and +a man of some sixty years of age, armed with an old double-barreled +fowling piece, stepped out. + +"The Germans are just beyond," he said. "I expect them every +moment." + +"And what are you doing here?" Ralph asked. + +"What am I doing?" repeated the peasant. "I am waiting to shoot +some of them." + +"But they will hang you, to a certainty, if they catch you." + +"Let them," the old man said, quietly; "they will do me no more +harm than they have done me. I had a nice farm, near Metz. I lived +there with my wife and daughter, and my three boys. Someone fired +at the Prussians from a wood near. No one was hit, but that made no +difference. The black-hearted scoundrels came to my farm; shot my +three boys, before their mother's eyes; ill treated her, so that +she died next day and, when I returned--for I was away, at the +time--I found a heap of ashes, where my house had stood; the dead +bodies of my three boys; my wife dying, and my daughter sitting by, +screaming with laughter--mad--quite mad! + +"I took her away to a friend's house; and stayed with her till she +died, too, a fortnight after. Then I bought this gun, and some +powder and lead, with my last money; and went out to kill +Prussians. I have killed thirteen already and, please God," and the +peasant lifted his hat, devoutly, "I will kill two more, today." + +"How is it that you have escaped so long?" Ralph asked, in +surprise. + +"I never fire at infantry," the peasant said. "It was Uhlans that +did it, and it's only Uhlans I fire at. I put myself on a rock, or +a hillside, where they can't come--or in a thick wood--and I +content myself with my two shots, and then go. I don't want to be +killed, yet. I have set my mind on having fifty--just ten for each +of mine--and when I've shot the last of the fifty, the sooner they +finish me, the better. + +"You'd better not go any farther, sir. The valley widens out, round +the corner; and there are Prussians in the nearest village." + +"Thank you," Ralph said, "but my orders are to reconnoiter them, +myself, and I must do so. I am well mounted, and I don't think that +they will catch me, if I get a couple of hundred yards' start. +There are franc tireurs in the village, a mile back." + +Ralph now rode carefully forward, while the peasant went back into +his hiding place by the wood. As he had said, the gorge widened +into a broad valley, a few hundred yards farther on. Upon emerging +from the gorge, Ralph at once saw a village--almost hidden among +trees--at a distance of less than a quarter of a mile. After what +he had heard, he dared not ride on farther. He therefore drew his +horse aside from the road, among some trees; dismounted, and made +his way carefully up the rocky side of the hill, to a point from +which he could command a view down the whole valley. + +When he gained this spot, he looked cautiously round. Below, beyond +the village, he could see large numbers of men; could make out +lines of cavalry horses, and rows of artillery. A considerable +movement was going on, and Ralph had no doubt that they were about +to advance. In his interest in what he saw, he probably exposed his +figure somewhat; and caught the eye of some sharp-sighted sentry, +in the village. + +The first intimation of his danger was given him by seeing some +twenty Uhlans dart suddenly out of the trees, in which the village +lay, at the top of their speed while, almost at the same moment, +eight or ten rifles flashed, and the balls whizzed round him in +most unpleasant propinquity. Ralph turned in an instant; and +bounded down the rock with a speed and recklessness of which, at +any other moment, he would have been incapable. Fierce as was the +pace at which the Uhlans were galloping, they were still a hundred +yards distant when Ralph leaped upon his horse, and galloped out in +front of them. + +There was a rapid discharge of their carbines, but men at full +gallop make but poor shooting. Ralph felt he was untouched but, by +the convulsive spring which his horse gave, he knew the animal was +wounded. For a couple of hundred yards, there was but little +difference in his speed; and then Ralph--to his dismay--felt him +flag, and knew that the wound had been a severe one. Another +hundred yards, and the animal staggered; and would have fallen, had +not Ralph held him up well, with knee and bridle. + +The Uhlans saw it; for they gave a shout, and a pistol bullet +whizzed close to his head. Ralph looked round. An officer, twenty +yards ahead of his men, was only about forty yards in his rear. In +his hand he held a revolver, which he had just discharged. + +"Surrender!" he shouted, "or you are a dead man!" + +Ralph saw that his pursuers were too close to enable him to carry +out his intention of dismounting, and taking to the wood--which, +here, began to approach thickly close to the road--and was on the +point of throwing up his arm, in token of surrender; when his horse +fell heavily, with him, at the moment when the Prussian again +fired. Almost simultaneously with the crack of the pistol came the +report of a gun; and the German officer fell off his horse, shot +through the heart. + +Ralph leaped to his feet, and dashed up the bank in among the +trees; just as another shot was fired, with a like fatal result, +into the advancing Uhlans. The rest--believing that they had fallen +into an ambush--instantly turned their horses' heads, and galloped +back the road they had come. + +Ralph's first impulse was to rush down into the road, and catch the +officer's horse; which had galloped on a short distance when its +master fell, and was now returning, to follow its companions. As he +did so, the old peasant appeared, from the wood. + +"Thank you," Ralph said warmly. "You have saved my life or, at any +rate, have saved me from a German prison." + +The peasant paid no attention to him; but stooped down to examine, +carefully, whether the Germans were both dead. + +"Two more," he said, with a grim smile. "That makes fifteen. Three +apiece." + +Then he picked up the officer's revolver, took the cartridge +belonging to it from the pouch and, with a wave of the hand to +Ralph, strode back into the wood. + +Ralph removed the holsters from the saddle of his own horse--which +had fallen dead--placed them on the horse of the German officer and +then, mounting it, rode off at full speed, to inform General +Cambriels of the results of his investigation. + +"Hallo, Barclay!" one of his fellow officers said, as he rode up to +the headquarters, "what have you been up to? Doing a little barter, +with a German hussar? You seem to have got the best of him, too; +for your own horse was a good one, but this is a good deal better, +unless I am mistaken. + +"How has it come about?" + +Quite a crowd of idlers had collected round, while the officer was +speaking; struck, like him, with the singularity of the sight of a +French staff officer upon a horse with German trappings. Ralph did +not wish to enter into explanations, there; so merely replied, in +the same jesting strain, that it had been a fair exchange--the +small difference in the value of the horses being paid for, with a +small piece of lead. Then, throwing his reins to his orderly--who +came running up--he went in to report, to the general, the evident +forward movements of the Germans. + +"Are they as strong as we have heard?" the general asked. + +"Fully, I should say, sir. I had no means of judging the infantry, +but they seemed in large force. They were certainly strong in +cavalry, and I saw some eight or ten batteries of artillery." + +"Let the next for duty ride, with all speed, to Tempe; and tell him +to hold the upper end of this valley. Send Herve's battery forward +to assist him. Have the general assembly sounded." + +Ralph left to obey these orders, while the general gave the colonel +of his staff the instructions for the disposition of his forces. + +The army of the Vosges--pompous as was its name--consisted, at this +time, of only some ten thousand men; all Mobiles or franc tireurs, +with the exception of a battalion of line, and a battalion of +Zouaves. The Mobiles were almost undisciplined, having only been +out a month; and were, for the most part, armed only with the old +muzzle loader. Many were clothed only in the gray trousers, with a +red stripe, which forms part of the mobile's uniform; and in a blue +blouse. Great numbers of them were almost shoeless; having been +taken straight from the plow, or workshop, and having received no +shoes since they joined. Half disciplined, half armed, half +clothed, they were too evidently no match for the Germans. + +The fact was patent to their general, and his officers. Still, his +instructions were to make a stand, at all hazards, in the Vosges; +and he now prepared to obey the orders--not hoping for victory, but +trusting in the natural courage of his men to enable him to draw +them off without serious disaster. His greatest weakness was his +artillery, of which he had only two batteries; against eight or ten +of the Germans--whose forces were, even numerically, superior to +his own. + +In half an hour, the dispositions were made. The valley was wide, +at this point; and there were some five or six villages nestled in +it. It was pretty thickly wooded and, two miles behind, narrowed +again considerably. Just as the troops had gained their appointed +places, a faint sound of heavy musketry fire was heard, in the +gorge ahead; mingled, in a few minutes, with the deep boom of +cannon. + +The general, surrounded by his staff, moved forward towards the +spot. From the road at the entrance to the narrow part of the +valley, nothing could be seen; but the cracking of rifles among the +trees and rocks on either side, the bursting of shells and the +whistling of bullets were incessant. The general and his staff +accordingly dismounted, handed their horses to the men of the +escort, and mounted the side of the hill. + +After a sharp climb, they reached a point from whence they could +see right down the long narrow valley. On beyond, the trees--except +near the road--were thin; the steep sides of the hills being +covered with great blocks of stone, and thick brushwood. Among +these--all down one side, and up the other--at a distance of some +five hundred yards from the post taken up by the general, a +succession of quick puffs of smoke told where Colonel Tempe's franc +tireurs were placed; while among the trees below there came up +great wreaths of smoke from the battery, which was supporting them +by firing at the Germans. + +These formed a long line, up and down the sides of the valley, at +three or four hundred yards distance from the French lines. Two +German batteries were down in the road, a few hundred yards to the +rear of their skirmishers; and these were sending shells thickly up +among the rocks, where the franc tireurs were lying hid; while two +other batteries--which the Germans had managed to put a short way +up on the mountain sides, still farther in the rear--were raining +shell, with deadly precision, upon the French batteries in the +road. + +A prettier piece of warfare it would have been difficult to +imagine--the lofty mountain sides; the long lines of little puffs +of smoke, among the brushwood and rocks; the white smoke arising +from the trees, in the bottom; the quick, dull bursts of the +shells--as a spectacle, it was most striking. The noise was +prodigious. The steep sides of the mountain echoed each report of +the guns into a prolonged roar, like the rumble of thunder. The +rattle of the musketry never ceased for an instant, and loud and +distinct above the din rose the menacing scream of the shells. + +"This is grand, indeed, Ralph!" Percy said, after a moment's +silence. + +"Splendid!" Ralph said, "but it is evident we cannot hold the +gorge. Their skirmishers are three to our one, and their shells +must be doing terrible damage." + +"Barclay," General Cambriels said, "go down to the battery, and +bring me back word how they are getting on." + +The scene quite lost its beauty to Percy, now, as he saw Ralph +scramble rapidly down the hillside in the direction of the trees; +among which the French battery was placed, and over and among which +the shells were bursting, every second. It seemed like entering a +fiery furnace. + +It was a terribly long ten minutes before Ralph was seen, climbing +up the hillside again; and Percy's heart gave a jump of delight, +when he first caught sight of his figure. As Ralph came near, his +brother saw that he was very pale, and had a handkerchief bound +round one arm. This was already soaked with blood. He kept on +steadily, however, until he reached the general; who had, upon +seeing he was wounded, advanced to meet him. + +"One gun is dismounted, sir, and half the men are killed or +wounded." + +"Go down, Harcourt, and tell Herve to fall back at once; and to +take position in the clump of trees, a quarter of a mile down the +valley, so as to sweep the entrance. + +"Laon, go to the right, and you, Dubois, to the left. Order the +franc tireurs to retreat along the hillside and, when they get to +the end of the gorge, to form in the plain, and fall back to the +first village. + +"You are wounded, Barclay. Not seriously, I hope?" he said, kindly, +as the officers hurried away on their respective missions. + +"A splinter of a shell, sir," Ralph said, faintly. "I don't think +it has touched the bone, but it has cut the flesh badly." + +Ralph was just able to say this, when his head swam; and he would +have fallen, had not Percy caught him in his arms, with a little +cry. + +"He has only fainted from loss of blood," the general said. "Two or +three handkerchiefs, gentlemen. + +"Now, major, bind them round his arm. + +"Now take off his sash, and bind it as tightly as you can, over +them. That's right. + +"Now carry him down the rocks, to the horses. We have no time to +lose." + +Two of the officers at once put their arms under Ralph's shoulders, +while Percy took his feet; and they hastened down to the horses. As +they did so, Ralph opened his eyes. + +"I am all right, now," he said, faintly. + +"Lie quiet," the major said, kindly. "It is only loss of blood. +There is no real harm done. + +"There, here are the horses." + +Ralph was placed, sitting, on the ground; a little brandy and water +was given to him and, as the blood was oozing but slowly through +the bandage, he felt sufficiently restored to sit on his horse. + +"Doyle, you go with Lieutenant Barclay," the colonel of the staff +said. "Ride slowly, and keep close beside him; so as to catch him, +if you see him totter. You will find the surgeons ready at the +general's quarters. + +"Halt, stand aside for a moment. Here comes the artillery." + +"Well done, lads, well done!" the general said, as the diminished +battery rattled past, at full gallop. + +Then he himself, with his staff, put spurs to his horse and went +off at full speed; while Tim followed at a walk, riding by the side +of Ralph. The flow of blood had now stopped, and Ralph was able to +sit his horse until he reached the house which had served as the +general's headquarters, in the morning. Here one of the staff +surgeons had fitted up a temporary ambulance; and Ralph's bandages +were soon taken off, and his coat removed. Tim turned sick at the +sight of the ugly gash in his young master's arm, and was obliged +to go out into the air. + +The artillery were already at work, and their fire told that the +franc tireurs had retired from the gorge, and that the Germans were +entering the wider valley. + +"You have had a narrow escape," the surgeon said, after examining +Ralph's arm, "a quarter of an inch lower, and it would have cut the +main artery; and you would have bled to death in five minutes. As +it is, there is no great harm done. It is a deepish flesh wound +but, with your youth and constitution, it will heal up in a very +short time. I will draw the edges together, with a needle and +thread: put a few straps of plaster on, and a bandage; and then you +had better get into an ambulance wagon and go to the rear, at +once." + +"Can't I go into the field again, now?" Ralph asked; "I feel as if +I could ride again, now." + +"No, you can do nothing of the sort," the surgeon said. "You have +lost a lot of blood; and if you were to ride now, it might set off +the wound bleeding again, and you might be a dead man before you +could be brought back here. Keep quiet, and do as you are ordered, +and in a week you may be in the saddle again." + +"It seems very hard," Ralph began. + +"Not at all hard," the surgeon said. "You will see plenty more +fighting, before this war is over. + +"This is a hard case, if you like; you have every reason to be +thankful." + +As he spoke, he pointed to a young mobile who was brought in, his +chest literally torn open with a shell. + +"I can do nothing for him," the surgeon said, after a brief +inspection of his wound; "he has not half an hour to live, and will +probably not recover consciousness. If he does, give him some weak +brandy, and water." + +Wounded men were now being brought in fast, and Ralph went out and +sat down by the door. + +"Fasten my horse up here, Tim. The ambulance will be full of poor +fellows who will want them more than I shall. If I see that we are +being driven back, I shall mount and ride quietly back. + +"No, there is nothing more you can do for me. Go and join Percy." + +The fight was now raging furiously. The Germans, covered by the +fire of their artillery, had debouched from the pass and were +steadily pressing forward. They had already carried the village +nearest to them. This the French had set fire to, before +retreating, to prevent its serving as a shelter for the enemy. The +Mobiles stood their ground, for the most part well, under the heavy +fire of shot and shell; but their muzzle loaders were no match for +the Germans' needle guns, and the enemy were pressing steadily +forward. Just as Tim Doyle rode up to the staff, the Germans had +taken another village. + +"That village must be retaken," the general said. "Barclay, ride +and order the Zouaves to carry it, with the bayonet." + +Percy galloped off to where the Zouaves, lying behind a ridge in +the ground, were keeping up a heavy fire in answer to the storm of +shot and shell which fell around them. He rode up to the officer in +command. + +"The Zouaves are to retake the village, with the bayonet," he said. + +The colonel gave the order, but the fire was so heavy that the men +would not face it. Again and again the officer reiterated the +order; standing exposed on the bank, in front of his men, to give +them confidence. It was in vain, and the colonel looked towards +Percy with an air of despair. Percy turned his horse, and galloped +back to the general. + +"The colonel has done all he can, sir, but the men won't advance." + +"The fire is very heavy," the general said, "but we must have the +village back again." + +And he rode off, himself, to the battalion of Zouaves. The shot and +shell were flying around him, but he sat on his horse as immovable +as if at a review. + +"My lads," he said, in a loud, clear tone, "generally the +difficulty has been to prevent the Zouaves rushing to an attack. +Don't let it be said that a French general had to repeat, to French +Zouaves, an order to charge before they obeyed him." + +In an instant the Zouaves were on their feet and, with a cheer, +went at the village. The Germans in possession fired rapidly, as +the French approached, and then hastily evacuated it; the Zouaves +taking possession, and holding it, under a tremendous fire. + +All the afternoon the battle raged, villages being taken and +retaken, several times. The Germans, however, were gradually +gaining ground. Some of the regiments of Mobiles had quite lost all +order and discipline, and their officers in vain tried to persuade +them to hold the position in which they were placed. Two of the +staff officers were killed, three others wounded. + +Percy had escaped, almost by a miracle. Over and over again, he had +carried the general's orders across ground swept by the enemy's +shot and shell. A horse had been killed under him, but he had not +received even a scratch; and now, mounted upon the horse of one of +the officers, who was killed, he was returning from carrying an +order across a very open piece of ground, at full gallop. Suddenly +he came upon a sight which--hurried as he was, and exposed as was +the position--caused him instantly to draw his rein, and come to a +full stop. + +Illustration: The Children on the Battlefield. + +There, in the open field, were two children: the one a boy, of six +or seven years old; the other a little flaxen-haired, blue-eyed +girl, of five. They were quietly picking flowers. + +"What are you doing here?" Percy asked, in astonishment. + +He spoke in French and, receiving no answer, repeated the question +in German. + +"What are you doing here?" + +"If you please, sir," the boy answered, "I have been out in the +wood, with Lizzie, to pick flowers; and when I came back there was +a great fire in the house, and a great noise all round, and I +couldn't find father and mother; and so we came out, to look for +them." + +Percy did not know what to do. It was too pitiful to leave the poor +little creatures where they were; and yet, he could not carry them +away. He had no doubt that their parents were hid in the woods. + +"Look here," he said; "if I take Lizzie upon my horse, will you run +along after me?" + +"No, no," the little girl said, vehemently. + +There was no time for parley. + +"Look here, do you see those soldiers lying down in a ditch?" Percy +asked, pointing to a line of Mobiles, not fifty yards in front. + +The children nodded. + +"Now look here, the best thing you can possibly do is to play at +being soldiers. It is capital fun. You lie down quite flat in that +ditch, and throw little stones over the bank. Don't you go away. +Don't get up, whatever you do; and if you are good children, and +play nicely, I will send father and mother to you, if I can find +them. If they don't come, you go on playing at soldiers till all +this noise stops; and then, when it is quite quiet, you go home, +and wait there till father and mother come back." + +The children were delighted with the idea, and threw themselves +flat in the bottom of the ditch; and Percy went on again, at full +gallop. The French were now being driven back, towards the point +where the valley narrowed again; and many of the Mobiles were in +full flight. General Cambriels, therefore, withdrew his artillery +to a point where they could cover the movements; and then ordered a +rapid retreat--ten regiments of line, and the Zouaves, acting as +rear guard. + +It was already getting dark, and the movements were carried out +with but slight loss. The Germans, contented with their success, +attempted no movement in pursuit. + + + +Chapter 12: The Surprise. + + +After the check in the Vosges, General Cambriels found it +impossible to restore sufficient order, among the Mobiles, to +enable him to show face again to the enemy. He was, besides, in +want of many articles of urgent necessity. Half his force were +shoeless; and the thin blouses which were--as has been said--all +the covering that many of the Mobiles had, were ill calculated to +resist the bitter cold which was already setting in. Ammunition, +too, as well as food, was short. + +The general determined, therefore, upon falling back upon Besancon, +and reorganizing his forces there. A wound in his head, too, which +was insufficiently healed when he took the command, had now broken +out again; and his surgeon ordered absolute repose, for a while. + +Upon the day of the fight, Ralph had ridden slowly to the rear, +when he saw that the fight was going against the French. Hardened +as he was by his work, and with an excellent constitution, his +wound never for a moment assumed a troublesome aspect; but at the +end of a week he was able--keeping it, of course, in a sling--to +mount his horse, and report himself ready for duty. The +headquarters were now at Besancon; and Ralph could, had he applied +for it, have obtained leave to go to Dijon; but he had not done so, +as he had been so lately at home, and he thought that the sight of +his arm in a sling would be likely to make his mother more nervous, +and anxious on their account, than before. + +The Germans were still at some distance from Besancon, being +watched by Colonel Tempe and his franc tireurs, and by the +irregular forces. A considerable army was now fast gathering at +Besancon, and the regimental and superior staff officers were hard +at work at the organization As aides-de-camp, the boys had little +to do; and therefore requested leave, for two or three days, to go +up to their old friends, the franc tireurs of Dijon. The general at +once granted the required permission; adding, with a smile: + +"Don't forget you are officers now, lads, and get into any +hare-brained adventures, you know; and be sure you are back on +Thursday, as I expect General Michel--my successor--to arrive on +Friday; and I shall have to give you, as part of my belongings." + +"We are sure to be back, general." + +And so they set off; taking, as usual, Tim Doyle with them, as +orderly and servant. + +"Faith, and I am glad enough to be out in the open again, Mister +Ralph," Tim said, as they left Besancon behind. "After living out +in the woods, for six weeks; there does not seem room to breathe, +in a crowded town." + +"It's jolly to be out again, Tim; but I don't know that I mind a +town again, for a few days." + +"Ah, it's all very well for the likes of yees, Mister Ralph--with +your officer's uniform, and your arm in a sling, and the girls all +looking at you as a hero--but for me it's different, entirely. Out +in the open I feel that--except when there's anything to do for +your honors--I am my own master, and can plase myself. Here in the +town I am a common hussar; and my arm is just weary with saluting +to all the fellows, with a sword by their side, that I meet in the +street. + +"Then there's no chance of any fighting, as long as we're shut up +in the walls of a town; and what's the use of being decked up in +uniform, except to fight? Is there any chance of just the least +scrimmage in the world, while we are back again with the boys?" he +asked, persuasively. + +The boys laughed. + +"Not much, Tim; but we shall be pretty close to the enemy, and +something may turn up, at any moment. But surely you've had enough, +in the last six weeks?" + +"Pretty well, Mister Percy--pretty well; but you see, the last +affair didn't count." + +"Oh, didn't it count!" Ralph said, looking at his arm. "I think it +counted for two or three fights and, if you were not hit, I am sure +you were fired at often enough to satisfy the most desperate lover +of fighting, Tim." + +"I was fired at often enough, I daresay, Mister Ralph; and I can't +say that I liked it, entirely. It isn't so mighty pleasant--sitting +like a stiff statue behind the general, with the shells falling +about you like peas, and not allowed the divarshin of a single shot +back, in return. + +"'Shoot away,' says I, 'as hard as you like; but let's shoot back, +in return.'" + +The boys laughed, and the day passed pleasantly as they rode, and +talked. The dusk had already fallen when they reached a party of +franc tireurs. It was not their own corps, nor could the officer in +command tell exactly where they could find them. + +"We are scattered over a considerable extent of country," he said; +"and the colonel, alone, could tell you how we are all placed. I +expect that he will be here, tonight; and your best plan will be to +stay here, till he comes. We have not much to offer you, but such +as it is, it is at your service." + +After a moment's consultation, the boys agreed to accept the offer; +as they had palpably more chance of meeting Colonel Tempe, there, +than in a journey through the woods, at night; and in another ten +minutes their horses were tied to trees, and they were sitting by a +blazing fire, with the officers of franc tireurs. The village +consisted of only three or four houses and, as there were fifty men +in the party upon which they had come, they bivouacked under the +trees, hard by. + +"How far off are the Germans?" Ralph asked, when dinner was over; +and they lay by the fire, smoking cigars. + +"Ten miles or so," the officer answered, carelessly. + +"No chance of their coming this way, I hope," Ralph laughed. "We +were very nearly caught near Saverne, once." + +"So I heard," the officer said, "but I am rather skeptical as to +these night surprises. In nine cases out of ten--mind, I don't mean +for a moment that it was so in your case--but in nine cases out of +ten, these rumors of night attacks are all moonshine." + +"Perhaps so," Ralph said, a little gravely--for he had already +noticed that the discipline was very different, among these men, +than that to which he had been accustomed among the franc tireurs +of Dijon; "perhaps so, but we can hardly be too careful. + +"How do you all like Colonel Tempe?" + +"The colonel would be an excellent fellow, were he not our +colonel," the officer laughed. "He is a most unconscionable man. +For ever marching, and drilling, and disciplining. If he had his +way, he would make us like a regiment of line; as if there could be +any good in carrying out all that sort of thing, with franc +tireurs. He had about half of us together, for three or four days; +and I give you my word it was as bad as slavery. Drill, drill, +drill, from morning till night. I was heartily glad, I can tell +you, when I got away with this detachment." + +Ralph saw that his new acquaintance was one of that innumerable +class who conceived that drill and discipline were absurdities, and +that it was only necessary for a Frenchman to shoulder a gun for +him to be a soldier; so he easily avoided argument, by turning the +subject. For a couple of hours they chatted; and then, as the fire +was burning low, and the men had already laid down to sleep, Ralph +suggested that they should do the same. + +"I will walk round the sentries first, with you, if you like," he +said. + +"Sentries!" the other said, with a laugh; "there is my sentry," and +he pointed to a man standing, ten paces off, leaning against a +tree. "The men have marched all day--they only came in an hour +before you did--and I am not going to waste their strength by +putting half of them out to watch the forest. + +"No, no, I am no advocate for harassing my men." + +"Good night, then," Ralph said, briefly, and he wrapped himself in +his cloak, and lay down. + +"We are not accustomed to this sort of thing, Percy," he whispered +to his brother, in English, "and I don't like it. No wonder our +franc tireurs do so badly, if this is a sample of their +discipline." + +"I don't like it either, Ralph. The Prussians are advancing; and if +that fellow last heard of them as ten miles off, they are as likely +as not to be only two. I shan't be sorry when morning comes." + +"Nor I either, Percy. However, here we are, and we have no +authority over this fellow; so we must make the best of it, and +hope that--for once--folly will not have its just reward." + +So saying, the boys remained silent for the night. But although +silent, neither of them slept much--Ralph especially, whose arm was +still very sore, and at times painful, hardly closed his eyes. He +told himself it was absurd, but he could not help listening, with +painful attention. + +Had the night been a quiet one, he need not have strained his ears; +for as he knew, from the many hours he had passed at night upon +guard, the hush is so intense--in these great forests--that one can +hear the fall of a mountain stream, miles away; and the snapping of +a twig, or almost the falling of a leaf, will catch the ear. The +night, however, was windy; and the rustle of the pine forest would +have deadened all sound, except anything sharp, and near. + +The sentry did not appear similarly impressed with the necessity +for any extraordinary attention. He was principally occupied in +struggling against cold, and drowsiness. He walked up and down, he +stamped his foot, hummed snatches of songs, yawned with great +vigor, and so managed to keep awake for two hours; when he roused +the next for duty, and lay down with a grunt of relief. + +At last, after keeping awake for hours, Ralph dozed off. How long +he slept, he knew not; but he was roused into full wakefulness by a +touch on the shoulder, and by hearing Tim Doyle whisper: + +"Hist, Mister Ralph, I've my doubts that there is something wrong. +I couldn't sleep, in this camp without watch or outposts; and for +the last quarter of an hour, I fancy I've been hearing noises. I +don't know which way they are coming, but it seems to me they are +all round us. I may be wrong, sir, but as sure as the piper--" + +"Hush, Tim!" Ralph said to the Irishman, who had crawled +noiselessly along, and had lain down by his side. + +"Percy, are you awake?" + +"Yes, I woke at Tim's whisper. Listen." + +They did listen; and distinctly, above the sighing of the wind, +they could hear a rustling, cracking noise. Day was just breaking, +but the light was not sufficiently strong to show objects with any +distinctness, among the trees. + +"By Jove, we are surrounded!" Percy said; and was just going to +alarm the camp when the sentry, startled into wakefulness, +challenged and fired. + +The franc tireurs woke, and leaped to their feet. Percy and Tim +were about to do the same, when Ralph held them down. + +"Lie still," he said, "for your lives." + +His words were not out of his lips, when a tremendous volley rang +out all round them; and half the franc tireurs fell. + +"Now!" Ralph said, leaping up, "make a rush for a house. + +"To the houses, all of you," he shouted, loudly. "It is our only +chance. We shall be shot down, here, like sheep." + +The officer of the franc tireurs had already atoned for his +carelessness, by his life; and the men obeyed Ralph's call and, +amidst a heavy fire, rushed across the fifty yards of open space to +the houses. The door was burst in, with the rush. + +Ralph had not stopped at the first house but, followed by his +brother and Tim Doyle, had run farther on; and entered the last +house in the village. + +"Why did you not go in with the others, Ralph? We have no chance of +defending ourselves, here. We have only our revolvers." + +"We have no chance of defending ourselves anywhere, Percy," Ralph +said. "There must be a couple of hundred of them, at least; and not +above fifteen or twenty, at most, of the franc tireurs gained the +houses. Resistance is utterly useless; and yet, had I been with +those poor fellows, I could not have told them to surrender, when +they would probably be shot, five minutes afterwards. We should be +simply throwing away our lives, without doing the least good." + +There was a heavy firing now heard and, a moment after, half a +dozen shots were fired through the window. Then there was a rush of +soldiers towards the door, which Ralph had purposely left open. + +"We surrender," Ralph shouted, in German, coming forward to meet +them. "We are French officers." + +"Don't fire," a voice said, and then a young officer came forward. + +"You are not franc tireurs?" he asked, for the light was still +insufficient to enable him to distinguish uniforms. + +"We are officers of the army, upon General Cambriels' staff. This +man is an orderly. + +"Here are our swords. We surrender, as prisoners of war." + +The German officer bowed. + +"Keep your swords, for the present, gentlemen. I am not in +command." + +At this moment, another officer came up. + +"Who have we here, Von Hersen? Why do you make prisoners?" + +"They are two staff officers, major." + +"Hem," said the major, doubtfully. + +"Well, if you are an officer," he continued, "order your men to +cease their resistance." + +The franc tireurs, most of whom had taken refuge in the same +cottage, were still defending themselves desperately; and were +keeping up a heavy fire, from the windows. + +"I will order them to surrender, at once," Ralph said, quietly; "if +you give me your word that they shall be treated as prisoners of +war." + +"I will do nothing of the sort, sir," the German answered. + +"Then I shall certainly not advise them to surrender," Ralph said, +firmly. "I have no authority, whatever, over them; but if I give +advice, it would be that they should sell their lives as dearly as +possible." + +The officer swore a deep German oath, and strode off. For five more +minutes the fight continued round the cottage, many of the Germans +falling; then a rush was made, there was a fierce contest inside +the house--shouts, shrieks, cries for mercy--and then all was +still. + +The young Barclays and Tim were now told to sit down near a tree, +at a short distance off; with two sentries, with loaded rifles, +standing over them. The German soldiers took from the houses what +few articles they fancied, and then set fire to them; sitting down +and eating their breakfast as the flames shot up. At a short +distance from where the Barclays were sitting was a group of some +eight or ten franc tireurs, and six or seven peasants, guarded by +some soldiers. + +Near them the German major and two lieutenants were talking. One of +the young men appeared to take little interest in the conversation; +but the other was evidently urging some point, with great +earnestness; and the major was equally plainly refusing his +request, for he stamped his foot angrily, and shook his head. + +"What a type that major is, of the brutal species of German," Ralph +said. "One used to meet them, sometimes. Their officers are either +particularly nice fellows, mere machines, or great brutes; +apparently we have a specimen of each of them, here." + +The officers passed near enough for the Barclays to catch what they +were saying. + +The young lieutenant was very pale. + +"For the last time, major, I implore you." + +"For the last time, Lieutenant von Hersen," the major said, +brutally, "I order you to do your duty and, by Heavens, if you +speak another word, I will put you in arrest!" + +The young lieutenant turned silently away, called up twenty men, +and ordered them to place the franc tireurs and the peasants +against a wall. + +"This is horrible, Ralph," Percy said. "That scoundrel is going to +shoot them, in cold blood." + +"I protest against this execution," Ralph said, in a loud tone, +advancing towards the major, "as a cold-blooded murder, and a +violation of all the rights of war." + +"Hold your tongue, sir," the German major said, turning to him +furiously, "or, by Heavens, I will put you up there, too!" + +"You dare not," Ralph said, firmly. "Outrage, as you do, every law +of civilization and humanity; you dare not shoot an officer of the +army, in cold blood." + +The major turned black with passion. + +"By Heavens!" he exclaimed. + +But the officer who had not--hitherto--interposed, threw himself +before him. + +"Pardon me, major," he said, respectfully, "but the Frenchman is +right. It would bring discredit upon the whole army to touch these +prisoners of war. + +"In the other matter, I have nothing to say. The order has been +published that franc tireurs, and peasants sheltering them, shall +be shot; and it is not for me to discuss orders, but to obey +them--but this is a matter affecting all our honors." + +The major stood, for a moment, irresolute; but he knew well that +the German military authorities would punish, probably with death, +the atrocity which he meditated; and he said hoarsely, to some of +the men near: + +"Tie their arms behind their backs, and take them farther into the +wood." + +Ralph, his brother, and Tim Doyle were hurried into the wood by +their guards but--strict as is the discipline of the German +army--they could see that they disapproved, in the highest degree, +of the conduct of their commanding officer. + +They were still near enough to see what was passing in the village. +Not a man of the franc tireurs begged his life, but stood upright +against the wall. Two of the peasants imitated their example, as +did a boy of not over thirteen years of age. Two other lads of the +same age, and a peasant, fell on their knees and prayed piteously +for life. + +The young officer turned round towards the major in one, now mute, +appeal. It was in vain. + +"Put your rifles within a foot of their heads," the lieutenant +said. "Fire!" + +When the smoke cleared away, the soldiers were standing alone; and +the peasants and franc tireurs lay, in a confused mass, on the +ground. + +The lieutenant walked up to the major with a steady step, but with +a face as pale as ashes. + +"I have done my duty, Major Kolbach; your orders are obeyed." + +Then, without another word, he drew out his revolver, put it rapidly +to his temple, and blew out his brains [an historical fact]. + +Brutal as Major Kolbach was, he started back in horror as the young +lieutenant fell dead at his feet; while a cry of surprise and +consternation broke from the men. The major did not say a word, but +turned away and paced up and down, with disturbed steps; while the +other lieutenant bent over the body of his comrade and, seeing that +he was dead, in a hushed voice ordered the men who had run up to +dig a grave, under the trees, and bring him there. + +When this was done he ordered the men to fall in--placing the +Barclays, and Tim in their midst--and then went up to the major and +saluted, saying coldly that the men were ready to march. The major +nodded, signed to the orderly who was holding his horse to +approach, vaulted into the saddle, and rode along the road back +toward the main body of the army. The lieutenant gave the word, and +the column marched off; leaving behind it the still smoking houses, +and the still warm bodies of some sixty men. + +There was a general gloom over the faces of the men; and no one +could suppose, from their air, that they were returning from a +successful expedition, in which they had annihilated a body of +enemy fifty strong, with the loss of only five or six of their own +men. Discipline was, however, too strict for a word of blame, or +even of comment to be spoken; and not a sound was heard but the +heavy, measured tramp as the troops marched back through the +forests. The major rode on, moodily, some forty or fifty yards +ahead of the main body. + +They had not gone half a mile before there was a shot fired in the +wood, close to the road. The major gave a start, and nearly fell +from his horse; then recovered himself, and turned to ride back to +the column, when there was another shot, and he fell off his horse, +heavily, to the ground. + +The column had instinctively halted, and the lieutenant gave the +word, "Load." + +A shout of triumph was heard in the wood, "Thirty-one!" and then +all was still. + +"That's the old fellow who saved my life, ten days ago, Percy," +Ralph said; "and by Jove! much obliged to him as I was, then, I do +think that I am more grateful now." + +Finding that the shots were not repeated, some twenty or thirty +skirmishers were sent into the woods; but returned, in ten minutes, +without finding any trace of the man who had shot the major. + +The lieutenant now took the command. There was a continuation of +the halt, for ten minutes, while the major was hastily buried by +the roadside; a rough cross being put up to mark the spot, and a +deep cross cut made in the two nearest trees so that, even if the +cross were overthrown, the place of the burial might be found +afterwards, if necessary. Then the corps marched on again. + +The first use which the lieutenant made of his authority--even +before giving directions for the burial--was to order the cords of +the prisoners to be cut. Then the corps continued its march and, by +the brightened faces of the men, it could be seen easily enough how +unpopular their late commander had been; and that they cherished +but slight animosity against the slayer. In a short time they +struck up one of their marching songs and--prisoners as they +were--the Barclays could not but admire the steady, martial bearing +of the men, as they strode along, making the woods echo with the +deep chorus. + +In three hours' march they reached the village which the troops had +left, the evening before, to surprise the franc tireurs; having, as +Ralph had learned from the lieutenant in command, received +information from a spy of their arrival at the village, late at +night; and having started at once, under his guidance. + +Here a considerable German force was assembled. The prisoners were +not unkindly treated; but Tim Doyle was, of course, separated from +them. Some astonishment was expressed at their youth; but it was +assumed that they had been pupils at Saint Cyr or the Polytechnic, +many of whom received commissions owing to the impossibility of +finding officers for the immense new levies. Several of the +officers came in to chat with them and, as these had been also +engaged in the fights, ten days before, there were many questions +to ask, upon either side. + +The boys learned that they would be sent on, next day; would be +marched to Luneville, and sent thence by train. + +"They are a fine set of fellows," Ralph said, when their last +visitor had left them. "Good officers, unquestionably; and when +they are nice, capital fellows. I can't make out why they should be +so brutal, as soldiers; for they are undoubtedly a kindly race." + +"No doubt," Percy said, but he was thinking of other matters, and +not paying much attention to his brother. + +"Do you think we have any chance of making our escape, Ralph?" + +"Oh, we shall escape, fast enough," Ralph answered, confidently. +"With our knowledge of German, and looking so young, there can be +no great difficulty about it, when we once get to the end of our +journey; but it's no use our thinking about it, at present. We +shall be a good deal too closely looked after. I only hope they +will send us to Mayence, or Coblentz; and not to one of the +fortresses at the other end of Germany. + +"Mind, we must not give our parole." + +The next day, when they were summoned to start, they found that +there were fifty or sixty other prisoners who had been brought in, +from other directions. Some belonged to line regiments; but the +greater portion, by far, were Mobiles who, in the retreat of +General Cambriels, had been cut off or left behind and, after +hiding in the woods for some days, were being gradually found and +brought in. The Barclays were the only officers. They therefore +took their places at the head of the prisoners; who formed, four +deep--with an escort of Uhlans--and set off on their march. + +It was four days' march. The weather was cold and clear, and the +Barclays were but little fatigued when they marched into Luneville. +The greater part of the prisoners were, however, in a pitiable +condition. Some were so footsore that they could hardly put one +foot before the other. Others tottered with fatigue, and the men of +the escort frequently used the flats of their swords, to compel +them to keep together. As they marched through the streets of +Luneville, the people in the streets uncovered; and the women waved +their hands to them, and pressed forward and offered them fruit and +bread, in spite of the orders of the escort. + +They were taken straight to the railway station, where they were +put into a shed. Ralph and Percy had gained the goodwill of the +sergeant in command of the escort, by the manner in which they had +aided him by interpreting to the rest of the prisoners, and by +doing their best to cheer them up, and take things smooth; and they +now asked him to request the officer in command, at the railway +station, to allow them to walk about until the train started, on +parole. The request was--upon the favorable report of the +sergeant--granted at once; and they were told that no train would +go off until next morning, and that they might sleep in the town, +if they chose. + +Thanking the officer for the permission, they went out of the +station; when a tall, big-bearded German sergeant stopped before +them. + +"Donner wetter!" he exclaimed, "so here you are, again!" + +The boys gave a little start; for they recognized, at once, the +sergeant who had so closely questioned them in the cabaret, upon +the night when they had carried off and hung the schoolmaster. +Ralph saw, at once, the importance of conciliating the man; as a +report from him of the circumstances might render their position a +most unpleasant one and--even in the event of nothing worse coming +of it--would almost ensure their captivity in some prison upon the +farther side of Prussia, instead of at one of the frontier +fortresses. + +"Ah, sergeant, how are you?" he said, gaily. "It is our fate, you +see, to be made prisoners. You were very nearly taking us, and now +here we are." + +"A nice trick you played me," the sergeant said, surlily, "with +your woodcutters, and your lame brother, and your sick sister, and +your cask of beer. I got a nice reprimand over that affair." + +"Come, sergeant," Ralph said, laughing, "let bygones be bygones. +All is fair in war, you know, and we did not touch a single hair of +any of your men's heads. All we wanted was the schoolmaster. It +would not do you any good to talk about it, now, and it might do us +harm. It's quite bad enough for us, as it is." + +"You're nice boys, you are," the sergeant said, with his face +relaxing into a smile. "To think of my being taken in, by two lads +like you. Well, you did it well--monstrously well, I will say--for +you never flinched an eyelash. + +"So you are officers, after all. I never suspected anything about +it, till three hours afterwards, when we went to relieve the +sentry; and found him lying there, tied up like a bundle. We +couldn't think, even then, what it meant, for you had made no +attack; and it wasn't till morning that we found that the old +schoolmaster had been fetched out of bed, and carried off on the +heads of twenty men. + +"Well, it was well done, and I bear you no malice." + +"That's right, sergeant. Now come and have a jug of beer with us; +you know, we had one with you, before. Don't you remember, we drank +to the health of King William? If you like, you shall return the +pledge, by drinking to Napoleon." + +The sergeant laughed. + +"I'll do that," he said. "You said, if you remember, when I +proposed the king, that you did not wish to hear of his death; and +I can say the same for your Napoleon. Especially," he added with a +chuckle, "as he's our prisoner." + +The boys went into a cabaret near, and drank a glass of beer with +the sergeant; and then--saying "Goodbye," very heartily--left him, +and went into the town; well pleased to have got so well out of a +scrape which might have been a very unpleasant one. + +They slept at a hotel, and were down at the station at the +appointed time. It was a long journey--thirty-six hours--to +Mayence. But the boys were too pleased--when they saw the line that +the train was following--to have cared, had it been twice as far. +The difficulties of escape from the western fortresses would have +been immense; whereas, at Mayence, they were comparatively close to +the frontier. At Mayence, too, the position of the prisoners was +comfortable. They were allowed to live anywhere in the town, and to +take their meals when they chose. They were obliged, twice a day, +to answer at the muster roll; and were not, of course, allowed to +go outside the fortifications. + +The one drawback, to the position of the French officers, was the +utterly insufficient sum which the Prussian Government allowed them +for board and lodging--only forty-five francs a month; that is to +say, fifteen pence a day. It is needless to say that the officers +who had nothing else to depend upon literally starved, upon this +pittance; which was the more inexcusable that the French Government +allowed more than twice this sum to the German officers who were +taken prisoners. + +Upon this head, however, the boys had no discomfort. They had +plenty of money in their pockets, for present uses; and they knew +that they could obtain further supplies by writing home, via +Switzerland. They were, therefore, unaffectedly glad when the train +came to a stop at the station of Mayence, and the order was given +for all to alight. + + + +Chapter 13: The Escape. + + +The first thing that the Barclays did, after reporting themselves, +was to settle themselves in a lodging--no very easy thing to find, +for the town was crowded with troops, and prisoners. However, as +they were able to pay a higher sum than the great majority of +French officers, in their position, they had no very great +difficulty in finding a place to suit them. The rooms were +purposely taken in a large house, with a staircase common to a +number of families living on different floors; so that anyone going +in or out would be less likely to be noticed than in a smaller +house. They were also careful in choosing rooms so placed that they +could go in and out of the door on to the staircase, without being +noticed by the people with whom they lodged. + +Ralph's arm was now extremely painful, the long march having +inflamed the wound. He had, therefore, on reporting himself, begged +that a surgeon might attend him; and had also asked, as a great +favor, that his servant--the hussar Doyle--might be allowed to +remain with him; stating that, in that case, he would pay for his +lodgings and provide him with food. As the prison in which the +private soldiers were confined was, at the time, crowded; the +request was complied with. + +For the next week Ralph suffered greatly with his arm, and had to +keep his room. After that the inflammation subsided; and in another +fortnight he was able to dispense, for the first time since he +received his wound, with a sling. In the meantime he had made the +acquaintance of the people with whom he lodged; who were very kind +to their wounded lodger, and whose hearts he completely won by +being able to chat to them in their native tongue, like one of +themselves. The family consisted of a father, who was away all day +at the railway station, where he was a clerk; the mother, a +garrulous old woman; and a daughter, a pretty blue-eyed girl of +about Ralph's age, who assisted her mother to wait upon them. She +had a lover, away as a soldier in the army besieging Paris; and the +thought that he might be wounded, or taken prisoner, made her very +pitiful to the young officers. + +Ralph Barclay had--for some days--been intending to sound her as to +her willingness to aid them when she, herself, began it one day. +She had cleared away their dinner, and was standing--as she often +did--talking with them, when she lowered her voice, so as not to be +overheard by her mother in the next room: + +"I wonder you don't try to get away. Lots of French officers have +done so." + +"That is just what we are thinking of, Christine. We have only been +waiting till my arm was out of a sling, and we want you to help +us." + +"How can I help you?" the girl asked. + +"In the first place, you can buy us clothes. It would excite +suspicion if we were to buy them, ourselves. Percy and I were +thinking of going as girls--not pretty girls, of course, like you, +Christine--but great, rough peasant girls." + +Christine laughed, and colored + +"You would be too tall," she said. + +"We should be rather tall," Ralph said, ruefully. "We have grown so +horribly, in the last few months. Still, some women are as tall as +we are." + +"Yes, some women are," Christine said, "but men look after them and +say, 'What big, gawky women!' and you don't want to be looked +after. If people did so, they would see that you didn't walk one +bit like a woman, and that your shoulders were very wide, and your +arms very strong, and-- + +"Oh no! It wouldn't do at all. I must think it over. + +"I suppose you want that great blue-coated bear to go?" and she +nodded at Tim Doyle who--not being able to speak a word of her +language--was always indulging in the most absurd pantomime of love +and devotion; causing screams of laughter to the merry German girl. + +"Yes, Tim must go too, Christine." + +"Ha, ha!" laughed the girl. "Fancy him as a woman." + +"What is she saying about me, Mister Percy?" + +"She says you would make a very pretty woman, Tim." + +"Tare and ages, Mister Percy," Tim said, taking it quite seriously, +"how could I do it, at all? I'd have to shave off all my beautiful +beard and mustaches and, even then, I doubt if you would mistake me +for a woman." + +The boys screamed with laughter, and translated the Irishman's +speech to Christine; who laughed so that her mother came into the +room. + +"Look here, children," she said, smiling, "I don't want to know +what you are talking about. If anything of any sort happens, I may +be asked questions; and I don't want to have to tell stories. I +can't help hearing, if you leave the door open, and laugh +so--indeed, all the neighborhood might hear it; so please shut the +door, in future." + +So saying, she again went back to her work in the next room. + +"Goodbye, I'm going, too," Christine said. "I will think it over, +by tomorrow morning, and tell you what you are to do." + +The next morning, the boys were very anxious to hear Christine's +proposals; for although they had quite made up their minds to try +their own plan, if hers was not feasible, still they felt that, +with her knowledge of the country, she was likely, at any rate, to +give them good advice. + +Until she had cleared away breakfast, Christine said nothing. Then +she took out her knitting, and sat against the window. + +"Now," she began, "I will tell you what I have thought of. It would +be easy enough, if it was not for him. He's so big, and so red, and +he doesn't speak German. + +"Oh dear, he's very tiresome!" and she shook her head at Tim; who +smiled, laid his hand on his breast, and endeavored to look +affecting. + +Christine laughed. + +"The only thing I can think of, for him, is that he shall go out as +a Jew peddler; with one of their broad hats, and a tray of little +trinkets. He might pass, if none of the soldiers took it into their +heads to buy." + +The proposition was translated to Tim Doyle. + +"Is it me, your honor--me, Tim Doyle, a good Catholic, and come of +honest people--that's to turn myself into a haythin Jew?" the +Irishman burst out, with great indignation. "It was bad enough that +I should be made into a woman, but a haythin Jew! I put it to your +honors, it's nayther sinsible nor dacent." + +The boys went off in screams of laughter. Christine laughed for a +moment, too, when they translated Tim's speech to her; and then +looked indignant that the proposition, which had cost her so much +thought, should be so scornfully rejected. + +Tim saw the look, and at once went on, persuasively: + +"Sure now, darlint Miss Christine, don't be angry wid me, out of +your bright blue eyes! But is it raisonable--is it natural to ask a +Christian man to make a haythin Jew of himself? Would you like it, +yourself?" + +When the boys could stop laughing, they translated Tim's appeal. + +"Did you ever see such an absurd man?" she said, laughing. "As if +it could make any difference to his religion. Tell him I am a good +Catholic, too, but I should not mind dressing up as a Jewess." + +"Sure, thin, darlint," Tim exclaimed, when her speech was +translated, "I will go as a Jew, directly, if you'll go with me and +be my Jewess." + +Christine laughed, blushed, shook her head and said, "Nonsense!" +upon hearing Tim's proposition. + +"But seriously, Christine," Ralph said, "the objection which you +mention to the Jew pedlar's disguise is important. Full as the +streets are of soldiers looking about, he could hardly hope to go +from here through the streets, and out at the gate, without someone +asking him about the contents of his box." + +Christine allowed--a little pettishly, at the failure of her +plan--that it certainly was likely. + +"The real difficulty is to get outside the gate," Ralph said, +thoughtfully. "After that, I should have no fear." + +"What are you thinking of doing, then?" Christine asked. + +"I was thinking of dressing Percy, and myself, in the clothes of +young peasants; and putting Tim into something of the same sort, +with a great bandage round his face. Then I should say that we were +two lads, from some place near the frontier, who had come here to +meet our uncle; who had had his jaw shattered, in battle. That +would explain Tim's not being able to talk at all; and as to looks, +he is red enough for a German, anywhere." + +"Yes," Christine said, "that would do, very well; but of course, +you would be liable to be asked for papers." + +"Of course," Ralph said, "but we must risk something." + +"I have an idea," Christine said, suddenly, clapping her hands. "I +have some cousins living at Wiesbaden. These are three boys, and I +am sure they would do anything for me. I will go out to Wiesbaden, +tomorrow, and ask them to lend me their papers, just for one day. +Wiesbaden is not your way, at all; but for that very reason you +would get out more easily there, and be less likely to be +suspected, or followed. You could cross the Rhine somewhere near +Saint Goar. + +"I shall have to tell some sad stories to my cousins, and coax them +a great deal. Still, I daresay I shall succeed; and then you can go +boldly across the bridge, and into the railway station, and take a +ticket for Wiesbaden. You can have an envelope, ready directed, and +put the papers into the post there." + +"The very thing, Christine. You are a darling!" Ralph exclaimed, +catching her by the waist and kissing her, before she had time to +think of resistance. + +"I shan't do anything at all for you," Christine said, laughing and +blushing, "if you misbehave in that way." + +"I couldn't help it, Christine--not even if your mother had been +looking on. + +"And now, about our clothes." + +"I couldn't buy them," Christine said. "I never could go into a +shop and buy men's clothes." + +The thing was so evident that, for a moment, the boys' looks fell. +Then Christine said, coloring very much: + +"There is a box, in my room, of Karl's things. He is my cousin, you +know; and he was working as a gardener, here, till he had to go out +in the Landwehr--so, of course, he left his things here, for us to +take care of. He is about your size. I will take out one suit--it +won't hurt it--and you can put it on, and go out into the town, and +buy the things for all three of you." + +"Capital!" the boys exclaimed. "It couldn't be better." + +Ten minutes afterwards, Ralph went down the stairs and out into the +street, dressed as a German laborer in his best suit. He was a +little uneasy, at first; but no one noticed him, and he was soon in +a shop, haggling over the price of a peasant's coat--as if the +matter of a thaler, one way or other, was a thing of vital +importance to him. He bought the three suits at three different +shops--as he thought that it would look suspicious, if he were to +get them all at the same--and in an hour was back again. An hour +afterwards, Christine started for Wiesbaden. + +The Barclays had reason to congratulate themselves that they had +not longer deferred their preparations for escape; for when +presenting themselves, as usual, that afternoon at the roll call, +they were told that they must hold themselves in readiness to leave +for one of the eastern fortresses, upon the following evening; as +another large batch of prisoners, from Metz, was expected to arrive +upon the following day. + +In the evening, Christine returned from Wiesbaden; which is distant +only a quarter of an hour, by rail, from Mayence. + +"I have got them," she said, "but if you only knew the trouble I +have had! What a bother boys are, to be sure!" + +"Especially cousins--eh, Christine?" + +"Especially cousins," Christine said, demurely. + +After thanking her very warmly for her kindness, the Barclays +started out, and bought a variety of things which they thought +might be useful. They also bought a pretty gold watch and chain, to +give to Christine as a parting present. + +The next morning they answered, as usual, to their early roll call; +and then, returning at once to their lodgings, changed their +clothes for those which Ralph had purchased. It was agreed that +they should not say goodbye to Christine's mother; in order that, +whatever she might suspect, she might be able to say that she knew +nothing of any idea, on the part of her lodgers, to make their +escape. Then Christine herself came in, to say goodbye; and went +half wild with delight, at the present. Then she said goodbye, +kissed the boys--without any affectation of objecting to it--and +then went to a window, to watch if they went safely down the +street. + +The boys had no uneasiness, whatever, upon their own account--for +they had before passed so easily, among the Prussian troops, that +they felt quite confident in their disguise--but they were +uncomfortable as to Tim, whose inability to answer questions would +have at once betrayed them, had anyone addressed him. They had not +ventured to bandage up his face, as if wounded; as he would have +naturally, in that case, had a military pass. As the best thing +they could think of, they had shoved a large lump of cotton into +one of his cheeks--which gave him the appearance of having a +swelled face--and had instructed him to frequently put his hand up +to it, as if in great pain. Tim had plenty of shrewdness, and acted +his part admirably. + +They passed across the bridge of boats, without question; and into +the railway station, which is just opposite its end. Here soldiers +and other officials swarmed; but the three walked along carelessly, +the two boys chatting together in German, Tim walking with his hand +up to his face, and giving an occasional stamp of pain. He sat down +with Percy on a seat in the station, while Ralph went to the little +window where tickets were being delivered. There were a good many +people waiting and, when it came to Ralph's turn, and he put the +papers in at the window, and asked for three third-class tickets to +Wiesbaden, the clerk scarcely glanced at them; but handed the +tickets over, without a question. + +They then went into the third-class waiting room, and sat down. +There were a good many peasants, and others there; and when the +doors opened for them to go on to the platform, and enter the +carriages, they saw it was hopeless to try and get a carriage to +themselves. They did, therefore, the best they could; putting Tim +next to the window, while Percy sat next to, and Ralph opposite to +him. The rest of the compartment was filled with country people. + +"He seems in great pain," a good-natured peasant woman said, to +Ralph; as Tim rocked himself backwards and forwards, in his +anguish. + +"Yes, he is very bad," Ralph said. + +"Toothache?" asked the woman. + +"Worse than that," Ralph said, gravely, "an abscess in the jaw. He +has just been to the hospital." + +"Poor fellow!" the woman said. "Why does he not poultice it? + +"I should advise you to poultice," she said, addressing Tim. + +Tim gave a grunt--which might have meant anything--and Ralph said, +in a whisper: + +"Don't talk to him. Poor uncle, he is so bad tempered, now, it puts +him in a rage if anyone speaks to him; because it hurts him so, to +answer. At ordinary times, he is very good tempered; but now, oh!" +and Ralph made a little pantomime, to express the extreme badness +of Tim's temper. + +"You are not of Wiesbaden, are you?" the woman asked. "I do not +know you by sight." + +"No," Ralph said; "we are from Holzhausen, a village some eight +miles upon the other side of Wiesbaden." + +"Ah!" the woman said, "I have a sister living there; surely you +must know her. She is the wife of Klopstock, the carpenter." + +"Surely," Ralph said, "she is my neighbor; everyone knows her. She +is very like you." + +"Well now, you are the first person who has ever said that," the +woman said, surprised. "I am so short, and she is so tall." + +"Yes, she is tall--very tall," Ralph said, very gravely; "but there +is something about the expression of your eyes which reminds me of +Mrs. Klopstock. + +"Yes, the more I look at you, the more I see it," and Ralph looked +so earnestly, at the woman, that Percy had the greatest difficulty +in preventing himself going off into a shout of laughter. + +"I wonder I have never seen you, at Holzhausen," Ralph continued. + +"Well," the woman said, "it is years since I have been there. You +see, it is a long way, and my sister often comes into Wiesbaden, +and I see her; but in truth, her husband and I don't get on very +well together. You know his temper is--" and she lifted up her +hands. + +"Yes, indeed," Ralph said. "His temper is, as you say, terrible. +Between ourselves, it is so well known that we have a saying, 'As +bad tempered as Klopstock the carpenter.' One can't say more than +that-- + +"But we are at Wiesbaden. Good morning." + +"Good morning. I hope your uncle's tooth will be better, ere long." + +"I hope so, indeed, for all our sakes," Ralph said. "He is as bad +as Klopstock, at present." + +So saying, they got out of the train and walked into the town. When +they had separated from the crowd, Percy could restrain himself no +longer, and went off into a scream of laughter. + +"What is it, Mister Percy?" Tim asked, opening his lips for the +first time since they had left the house. + +"Oh, Tim, if you had but heard!" Percy said, when he recovered his +voice. "Do you know you are as bad tempered as Klopstock, the +carpenter?" + +"Sure, I never heard tell of him, Mister Percy; and if I have been +bad tempered, I haven't said much about it; and if the carpenter +had a wad of cotton as big as a cricket ball in one cheek, as I +have, it's small blame to him if he was out of temper." + +Both the boys laughed, this time; and then Ralph explained the +whole matter to Tim, who laughed more heartily than either of them. + +"Which way shall we go, Ralph?" + +"I looked at the map, the last thing before starting, Percy; and I +noticed that the road went out past the gambling place. I dare not +take out the map again, to look at the plan of the town--it would +look too suspicious--so let us wander about, till we find the +place. It has large grounds, so we cannot miss it." + +They were not long in finding the place they were looking for. +There was no mistaking it; with its long arcades leading up to the +handsome conversation rooms, its piece of water, and its +beautifully laid-out grounds. + +"I should like to go in, and have a look at it," Percy said. "I can +hear the band playing, now." + +"So should I," Ralph said, "but time is too precious. They will +find out at the muster, this afternoon, that we are missing and, as +we answered this morning, they will know that we cannot have got +far. We had better put as many miles between us as we can. + +"First of all, though, let us put those papers Christine got us +into the envelope, and drop them into that post box. We should not +do badly, either, to buy three dark-colored blankets before we +start. It is terribly cold; and we shall want them, at night." + +They therefore turned up into the town again; and then Ralph +separated from the others, and went in and bought the blankets. Ten +minutes later they were walking along, at a steady pace, from the +town. Each carried a stick. The boys carried theirs upon their +shoulder; with a bundle, containing a change of clothes and other +articles, slung upon it. Tim carried his bundle in one hand, and +walked using his stick in the other. When a short distance out of +the town, they stopped in a retired place; and put some strips of +plaster upon Tim's cheeks, and wrapped up his face with a white +bandage. It was, as he said, "mighty uncomfortable," but as he was +now able to dispense with the ball of cotton in his mouth, he did +not so much mind it. + +The day was bitterly cold, for it was now the beginning of the +second week of November; but the party strode on, full of the +consciousness of freedom. They met but few people, upon their way; +and merely exchanged a brief good day with those they did meet. +They had brought some bread and cold meat with them, from Mayence; +and therefore had no need to go into any shops, at the villages +they passed. + +They did not dare to sleep in a house, as it was certain that some +official would inquire for their papers; and therefore, when it +became dark, they turned off from the road and made for a wood, at +a short distance from it. Here they ate their supper, laid a +blanket on the ground, put the bundles down for pillows, and lay +down close together, putting the other two blankets over them. + +"It's mighty cold," Tim said, "but we might be worse." + +"It's better than a prison in Pomerania, by a long way," Ralph +answered. "By the look of the sky, and the dropping of the wind, I +think we shall have snow before morning." + +At daybreak, next morning, they were up; but it was some little +time before they could start, so stiffened were their limbs with +the cold. Ralph's prognostication as to the weather had turned out +right, and a white coating of snow lay over the country. They now +set off and walked, for an hour, when they arrived at a large +village. Here it was agreed they should go in, and buy something to +eat. They entered the ale house, and called for bread, cheese, and +beer. + +The landlord brought it and, as they expected, entered into +conversation with them. After the first remarks--on the sharpness +of the weather--Ralph produced a tin of portable soup, and asked +the landlord if he would have it heated, for their uncle. + +"He cannot, as you see, eat solid food," Ralph said; "He had his +jaw broken by a shell, at Woerth." + +"Poor fellow!" the landlord said, hastening away with the soup. + +"Are you going far?" he asked, on his return. + +"To Saint Goar," Ralph said. + +"But why does he walk?" the landlord asked. "He could have been +sent home, by train." + +"Of course he could," Ralph said. "We walked over to see him, and +intended to have walked back again; but when the time came for us +to start, he said he would come, too. The surgeon said he was not +fit to go. Uncle had made up his mind to be off and, as the surgeon +would not give him an order, he started to walk. He says it does +not hurt him so much as the jolting of the train, and we shall be +home to breakfast." + +An hour later they arrived at Saint Goarshaus. They were now quite +out of the track which prisoners escaping from Mayence would be +likely to take, and had not the slightest difficulty in getting a +boat to cross the Rhine. + +"How beautiful the river is, here," Percy said. + +"Yes it is, indeed," Ralph answered. "I believe that this is +considered one of the most lovely spots on the whole river. I can't +say that I think that that railway, opposite, improves it." + +They landed at Saint Goar, and tramped gaily on to Castellan, and +slept in a barn near that village. + +The next morning they were off before daybreak and, eight miles +farther, crossed the Moselle at Zell. They left the road before +they arrived at Alf; for they were now approaching the great road +between Coblentz and the south, and might come upon bodies of +troops upon the march, or halting; and might be asked troublesome +questions. They therefore struck upon a country lane and, keeping +among the hills, crossed the main road between Bertrich and +Wittlech; and slept in a copse, near Dudeldf. They had walked +five-and-thirty miles, and were so dead beat that even the cold did +not keep them awake. + +Next morning they got a fresh supply of bread and cheese, at a tiny +village between Dudeldf and Bittburg and, leaving the latter place +to the left, made straight for the frontier, across the hills. The +road to the frontier ran through Bittburg; but they were afraid of +keeping to it, as there were sure to be troops at the frontier. +Several times they lost their way; but the pocket compass and map, +which they had brought with them, stood them in good stead and, +late in the evening, they arrived at the stream which forms the +frontier. It was, fortunately, very low; for the cold had frozen up +its sources. They had, therefore, little difficulty in crossing +and, tired as they were, gave a cheer upon finding themselves in +Luxembourg. + +They tramped along merrily, until they came to a cottage; where +they boldly entered, and were received with the greatest kindness, +and hospitality. The Luxembourg people at once feared and hated +Prussia, and were delighted to do anything in their power for the +escaped prisoners. The peasant made a blazing fire, and some hot +coffee; and the tired travelers felt what a blessing it was to sit +down without listening, every moment, for the step of an enemy. + +The peasants told them, however, that they were not yet altogether +safe for that, owing to the complaints of Prussia, both the Dutch +and Belgian Governments were arresting, and detaining, escaped +prisoners passing through their territories. After some discussion +the boys agreed that, next morning, they should dress themselves in +the change of clothes they had brought--which were ordinary +shooting suits--and should leave their other clothes behind; and +then walk as far as Spa, twenty miles to the north. They would +excite no suspicion in the minds of anyone who saw them arrive; as +they would merely be taken for three Englishmen, staying at one of +the numerous hotels there, returning from a walk. Their feet +however were so much swollen, the next morning, that they were glad +to remain another day quiet in the cottage; and the following day +they started, and walked gaily into Spa. + +After strolling about the place, some time, they went to the +railway station at the time the evening train started for Brussels; +asked for tickets--in very English French--and, at eleven o'clock +at night, entered Brussels. Here their troubles were over. A good +night's rest, in a good hotel, completely set them up again and, +the next morning, they left by train for Dunkirk. + +There they reported themselves to the French officer in command; +and received permission to go on board a Government steamer which +was to leave, the next morning, for Cherbourg. + + + +Chapter 14: A Perilous Expedition. + + +Upon the eleventh of November the boys arrived at Tours. They had +started for that place, as the national headquarters, the moment +they arrived at Cherbourg. At Tours men's hopes were high for, a +week before, Aurelles de Paladine had driven back Von der Tann, and +reoccupied Orleans. Every hour fresh troops were arriving, and +passing forwards. The town was literally thronged with soldiers, of +all sorts: batteries of artillery, regiments of cavalry, squadrons +of Arab Spahis--looking strangely out of place in their white +robes, and unmoved countenance, in this scene of European +warfare--franc tireurs, in every possible variety of absurd and +unsuitable uniform. + +In all this din and confusion, the young Barclays felt quite +bewildered. The first thing was, evidently, to get new uniforms; +then to report themselves. There was no difficulty about the former +matter, for every tailor in Tours had, for the time being, turned +military outfitter and, by dint of offering to pay extra, their +uniforms were promised for the next morning. That matter settled, +they determined to go at once to the Prefecture, and report +themselves. + +As they turned out of the crowded Rue Royal, they received two +hearty slaps on the shoulder, which almost knocked them down; while +a hearty voice exclaimed: + +"My dear boys, I am glad to see you!" + +They looked round and--to their astonishment and delight--saw +Colonel Tempe. For a minute or two, the hand shakings and greetings +were so hearty that no questions could be asked. + +"I thought a German prison would not hold you long, boys," the +colonel said. "I saw your father, as I came through Dijon; and I +said to him that I should be surprised if you did not turn up soon, +especially when I heard from him that you were at Mayence, only two +days' tramp from the frontier." + +"But what are you doing here, colonel?" + +"Just at present, I am working at headquarters. Between ourselves, +the army of the east is coming round to join Aurelles. Our poor +fellows were pretty nearly used up, and I found that I could do +little real good with the other corps. So I gave up the command; +and was sent here to confer with Gambetta, and he has kept me. + +"Now, what are you going to do?" + +"We were going to report ourselves, colonel." + +"No use going today--too late. Come and dine with me, at the +Bordeaux. Have you got rooms?" + +"Not yet, colonel." + +"Then I can tell you you won't get them, at all. The place is +crowded--not a bed to be had, for love or money. I've got rooms, by +the greatest good luck. One of you can have the sofa; the other an +armchair, or the hearth rug, whichever suits you best." + +"Thank you, very much; we shall do capitally," the boys said. + +"And now, have you any news from Paris?" + +"We have no late news from Paris but, worse still, the news gets +very slowly and irregularly into Paris. The pigeons seem to get +bewildered with the snow, or else the Prussians shoot them." + +"But surely, with such an immense circle to guard, there could be +no great difficulty in a messenger finding his way in?" + +"There is a difficulty, and a very great one," Colonel Tempe said; +"for of all who have tried, only one or two have succeeded. Now +come along, or we shall be late for dinner." + +It was a curious medley at the table d'hote, at the Hotel de +Bordeaux. Generals, with their breasts covered with orders, and +simple franc tireurs; officers, of every arm of the service; +ministers and members of the late Corps Legislatif; an American +gentleman, with his family; English newspaper correspondents; army +contractors; and families, refugees from Paris. After dinner they +went to a cafe--literally crowded with officers--and thence to +Colonel Tempe's rooms, where they sat down quietly, to chat over +what had taken place since the last visit. + +"But where is your Irishman? Your father told me he was with you. I +suppose you could not get him out." + +"Oh yes, Tim's here," Ralph said, laughing, "but he ran across a +couple of Irishmen belonging to the foreign legion and--as he would +have been in our way, and we did not know where we were going to +sleep--we gave him leave till to-morrow morning, when he is to meet +us in front of the railway station." + +"By the way, boys, I suppose you know you have each got a step?" + +"No," the boys cried. "Really?" + +"Yes, really," the colonel said. "That good fellow, Cambriels, sent +in a strong report in your favor upon resigning his command; +rehearsing what you did with us, and requesting that the step might +be at once given to you. As a matter of course it was, in the next +Gazette." + +"Of course, we feel pleased, colonel; but it seems absurd, so young +as we are. Why, if we go on like this, in another six months we may +be majors." + +"In ordinary times it would be absurd, lads; and it would not be +possible for you to hold the grade you do now--still less higher +ones--unless you understood thoroughly your duty. At the present +moment, everything is exceptional. A man who, perhaps, only served +a few months in the army, years ago, is made a general, and sent to +organize a camp of new levies. Of course, he could not command +these troops in the field, could not even drill them on the parade +ground. But that is of no matter. He has a talent for organization, +and therefore is selected to organize the camp and, to enable him +to do so efficiently, he receives the nominal rank of general. + +"In ordinary times a man could not get promoted--three or even four +times, in as many weeks--over the heads of hundreds of others, +without causing an immense amount of jealousy; without, in fact, +upsetting the whole traditions of the army. + +"Now, it is altogether different. The officers of the regular army +are almost all prisoners. Everyone is new, everyone is unaccustomed +to his work; and men who show themselves to be good men can be +rewarded and promoted with exceptional rapidity, without exciting +any feeling of jealousy, whatever. Besides which, the whole thing +is provisional. When the war is over, everyone will either go back +into private life or, if they continue to serve, will be gazetted +into the regular army, according to some scale or other to be +hereafter determined upon. Some inconveniences no doubt will arise, +but they will hardly be serious. + +"I was offered a general's rank, a month ago; but I declined it, as +it would have entailed either my undertaking duties for which I am +unfit; or setting to, to organize young levies, and giving up +active service. + +"No, if you go on as you have hitherto done, boys, you may be +colonels in another six months; for when a name is recommended for +promotion for good service, by a general, you may well suppose +there is no question asked as to his age. Of course, no general +would recommend you as captains to command companies in a regiment, +because you are altogether ignorant of a captain's duty; but you +are quite capable of filling the duties of captain, on the staff, +as those duties require only clear headedness, pluck, attention, +and common sense. + +"What I should like to win, even more than a company--were I in +your place--would be a commander's cross in the legion of honor. I +had the cross, years ago; but I only had the commander's cross a +fortnight ago, for the Bridge of Vesouze." + +"Ah, yes," Ralph said, "that would be worth winning, but that is +hopeless." + +Colonel Tempe was silent. Ralph and Percy looked at him. + +"You mean," Ralph said, after a pause, "that there is a chance of +our winning it." + +"Well, boys," Colonel Tempe said, "I don't know that I am right in +leading you into danger, but I do think that you might win it. I +was mentioning your names, only yesterday, to Gambetta. A dispatch +had just come in from Paris, grumbling at receiving no news from +the country; and Gambetta was lamenting over the impossibility of +arranging for simultaneous movements, owing to the breakdown of the +pigeons, and the failure of the messengers; when I said: + +"'There were two young English fellows with us, in the Vosges--they +were on Cambriels' staff last, and are now prisoners--who if they +were here would, I believe, get in if anyone could. They went down, +over and over again, among the Germans; and I could lay any money +that they would succeed.' + +"'How did they get taken prisoners?' Gambetta asked, as sharp as a +knife. + +"'By no fault of their own,' I answered. 'They went out on leave, +to see me; and slept with a party of franc tireurs--where they of +course had no authority, as to sentries--and the party was +surprised, at night, and completely cut up. They were taken +prisoners, but I do not expect that they will remain so for long.' + +"Gambetta did not say anything, then; but when I left him, an hour +afterwards, he remarked: + +"'If you hear of those young fellows you were speaking of having +returned, send them to me, Tempe.'" + +Ralph looked at Percy, and checked the offer to go which he saw was +on his brother's lips. + +"I think it might be done, colonel," he said, quietly; "but it is a +serious matter, and we will think it over, before we give an +opinion." + +Ralph then changed the subject, and they talked over the events +which had happened in the Vosges, the strategy and maneuvers of +General Michel, the arrival of Garibaldi, the doings of the franc +tireurs, etc. + +"By the way," the colonel said, "there was a telegram in, this +evening--just as I left the office--that the Germans occupied +Dijon, yesterday." + +"You don't say so!" the boys said, jumping from their seats. "Was +there any fighting?" + +"Yes, some Mobiles and franc tireurs made a very plucky defense, +outside the town. Owing to some gross mismanagement, the great bulk +of the troops had been withdrawn, only the day before. After two or +three hours' fighting, our men fell back; the Prussians, as usual, +shelled the town; and the authorities surrendered." + +"The fighting could not have been our side of the town," Ralph +said, thoughtfully. + +"No, just the other side," Colonel Tempe said. "As my wife is still +at home, and our place is not many hundred yards from yours, that +was the first thing I thought of." + +"I wonder if papa was in the fight?" Percy said, anxiously. + +"I should think it probable, boys, that my old friend would have +gone out; but I do not think that you need be uneasy about it for, +from what the telegram said, our loss was small. The troops fell +back into the town, and retreated unmolested through it. So your +father would, no doubt, have changed his things in the town, and +have walked quietly back again. + +"He had volunteered into the national guard, when I came last +through Dijon; and was hard at work, drilling them. Of course, he +had his old rank of captain." + +At ten o'clock the boys said that they would go for a stroll, +before lying down for the night. They were out upwards of an hour; +and returned, at the end of that time, with serious but resolved +faces. The colonel was out, when they returned; and found them +stretched on the sofa and hearth rug, when he came in. They gave +him a sleepy good night, and no other word was exchanged. + +In the morning, they were up at eight o'clock. Colonel Tempe was +already dressed, and they went out together to get their coffee and +milk. As they were taking it, Ralph told him that they had made up +their minds to make the attempt to enter Paris, with dispatches; +but that they saw but one way to do so; and that, unless they could +be furnished with the necessary papers, they should abandon all +idea of the enterprise. + +Ten minutes later, they entered the Prefecture. Colonel Tempe went +in at once to see Gambetta, while the boys remained in the +anteroom. In ten minutes their friend came out again, and beckoned +to them to come into the next room. + +"These are the Lieutenants Barclay," he said. + +The boys bowed; and examined, with attentive curiosity, the man who +was, at that time, the absolute ruler of France. A dark man; with a +short black beard, keen eyes, and a look of self reliance and +energy. A man who committed endless mistakes, but who was the life +and soul of the French resistance. A man to whom--had he lived in +olden times--the Romans would have erected a statue because, in her +deepest misfortunes, he never despaired of the Republic. + +He looked keenly at the young men. + +"Colonel Tempe tells me that you have rendered very great service, +by going among the enemy in disguise; and that you are willing to +make an attempt to carry dispatches into Paris." + +"We are ready to try," Ralph said, respectfully; "but after talking +it over in every way, we can see but one disguise which would +enable us to penetrate the enemy's lines, near enough to the ground +between the two armies to render an attempt possible; and even that +disguise will be useless, unless we can procure certain papers." + +"What is your plan?" Monsieur Gambetta asked. + +"We intend to go as German Jews," Ralph said. "The Prussians strip +all the clocks, pictures, and furniture of any value from the +villas they occupy, and send them back to Germany. There are a +number of Jews who follow the army; and either buy these stolen +goods from them, or undertake to convey them back to Germany at a +certain price. Several of these Jews--with their wagons full of +clocks, and other articles--have been captured by our franc tireurs +or troops and, no doubt, papers of some kind have been found upon +them. These papers would naturally be sent here. If we could be +provided with them we could, I have little doubt, penetrate their +lines." + +"An excellent idea," the minister said. "I have no doubt that we +have such papers." + +And he struck a small hand bell on the table. An attendant entered. + +"Tell Captain Verre I wish to speak to him." + +"Captain Verre," he said, when that officer entered, "there were +some papers came last week, from General Faidherbe, relative to +those wagons--laden with clocks, ladies' dresses, and so on--that +were captured near Mezieres. Just look through them, and see if +there were any German permits for the bearers to pass freely, for +the purpose of trading. If so, let me have them at once." + +The officer at once left the room. + +"Supposing--as I have no doubt--that we can give you the papers, +what is your course?" + +"Speed is, naturally, an essential," Ralph said. "We shall disguise +ourselves at once and, upon receipt of the dispatches, start from +here to Orleans by train; with two good horses--which can, of +course, be furnished us. We shall ride through the forest of +Orleans, and so to Montargis; cross the Loing there, and make +straight for Melun--keeping always through by-lanes. As far as we +know, there are no large bodies of the enemy along that line. + +"When we get near the town, we shall leave our horses with some +village Maire, or give them to a farmer, and walk into the place +boldly. You will furnish us with a note to the Maire of Melun, as +well as a circular to all French authorities, to give us any help; +and we shall get him to assist us at once to buy a wagon, and two +strong horses. With these we shall drive round, direct, to +Versailles. Our pass will admit us into the town, without +difficulty; and then we shall naturally be guided by circumstances. +We must be furnished with a considerable sum of money, to make +purchases of plunder." + +"An admirable plan," said the minister, warmly, "and one that +deserves--even should it not obtain--success. + +"I need not speak to you of reward because, as gentlemen, I know +that you make the attempt from the love of honor Colonel Tempe has +before spoken to me of you, and you were highly commended by +General Cambriels. Your names will, therefore, be in the next +Gazette for the cross of the legion of honor; and if you succeed, +you will come back captains and commanders of the Legion. I may +mention--although I know that it will not add to your motive to +succeed--that you will be entitled to the reward, of fifty thousand +francs, which has been offered to anyone who will carry in +dispatches to Paris." + +At this moment the officer entered. + +"Here are the papers the Jews with the captured wagons carried," he +said. "They are signed by the general at Frankfort, and +countersigned by at least a dozen military authorities. There are +three of them." + +The minister glanced at them. + +"They will do well," he said. "Will you be ready to start tomorrow +morning?" + +"Quite ready," Ralph said. + +"Very well. Then if you will be here at half-past five, the +dispatches will be ready; written, of course, so as to fold up in +the smallest possible compass. + +"Captain Verre, will you see that two of the best horses in my +stable are put into boxes, in the train that leaves at six tomorrow +morning." + +The boys now rose to leave. + +"Good morning," the minister said. "All the letters of +recommendation, the dispatches, and the money will be ready when +you come, in the morning." + +The boys, on going out, held a long consultation over their +disguises. Examining the papers, they found that one was for two +persons of the same name--Isaac Kraph and Aaron Kraph--father and +son; the father, as described in the pass, forty-five years old, +the son eighteen. This pass they determined to use. + +The task of changing Percy into a Jew boy, of eighteen, was +evidently an easy one. His clear complexion was the only +difficulty, and this could be readily disguised. Ralph's disguise +was a more difficult one; and there was a considerable debate as to +whether he had better go as a red Jew, or a dark Jew. The latter +was finally determined upon as, otherwise, the contrast between the +supposed father and son would be too striking. + +They then went to their tailor, and found their uniforms ready. +They at once put them on, as the peculiarity of the purchases they +intended to make was so great that, had they been in their civilian +dress, it was certain that they would have been regarded with +suspicion; and would have, perhaps, had difficulty in obtaining +what they wanted. + +Their first visit was to a hairdresser's shop. Rather to the +astonishment of the proprietor, they told him that they wished to +speak to him in a private room; and still more to his astonishment, +when the door was closed, they told him that they wanted their hair +dyed quite black. The hairdresser could hardly believe his ears. +The boys had both brown, wavy hair--Percy's being the lightest--and +that two young officers of the staff should, at such a time, desire +to dye their hair struck the man almost dumb with astonishment. + +Ralph smiled. + +"No wonder you are surprised, but we have an important mission to +carry out, and it is essential that we should be completely +disguised. We are going as spies into Von der Tann's camp. This, of +course, is in the strictest confidence." + +The hairdresser was at once struck with the importance of the +occasion. + +"You want an instantaneous dye?" he asked. + +"Certainly," Ralph said, "and one that will last, at any rate, for +a week." + +There was no difficulty whatever in complying with the request and, +in ten minutes, the boys' heads were raven in their blackness. + +"Now," Ralph said, "I want my brother's hair--which is fortunately +very long--to be completely frizzled; and I want a pair of the +tongs you do it with, so as to be able to do it for ourselves." + +This also was easy enough. + +"Now," Ralph went on, "for myself, I want my hair to be very long; +to come down over my ears on to my collar, all the way round." + +"But the only way to do that is to have a wig specially made for +you." + +"Not at all," Ralph said. "I could not put on a wig, even if you +had one just as I want it, ready. The parting always shows, if it +is narrowly looked at. I want some long flat bands of hair, like +those you use for chignons. It must be black, to match my hair as +it is now; but put a few streaks of gray into it. I must have a +band of this hair, long enough to go round the head, from just +above one ear to just above the other. If you part my hair, just at +the place where the band is to go; brush the hair up; put the band +of artificial hair on, with shoemaker's wax, or something else to +hold tight; then brush the hair back again over the band, it would +be absolutely impossible to see it was not all natural. Then cut +the long hair so as to lie on my coat collar, frizzle it and the +natural hair, and I will defy the keenest-eyed Prussian to see +anything wrong about it." + +As soon as the hairdresser understood exactly what Ralph wanted, he +entered heartily into his plans; and several of the short flat +bands of black hair, used for chignons, were sewn on to a band. +This was fastened on to Ralph's head, in the way he had suggested; +the long tresses were cut to the required length; the tongs were +used on them, and on the natural hair; and plenty of oil put on +and, in an hour, his headdress was perfect--an immense bush of +frizzly hair. The cloth was taken from round his neck and, as he +looked at himself in the glass, he joined heartily in Percy's shout +of laughter. + +"But, Ralph, how are you to go out in your uniform, and that head +of hair?" + +"Dear me," Ralph said, "I had quite forgotten that. Go to the +tailor's, Percy, and tell them to send the suit I changed there in +here, directly." + +Percy went off for the clothes, and Ralph then went on: + +"Now I want a black or grayish beard, whiskers, and mustache." + +"I have not got such a thing," the hairdresser said, "but I know a +man who keeps them. I will get it for you, in a quarter of an +hour." + +In a few minutes Percy returned, with a boy with Ralph's clothes. +In a short time they were ready to start. + +"You do look a strange object, Ralph." + +"Never mind, Percy, there are plenty of strange objects here. No +one will notice me." + +Then saying that they would call in again in half an hour, for the +beard, they went to a chemist's; from whom--after some talk--they +obtained a mixture to give a slightly brown tinge to their faces. + +They now dived into the back streets of the town, found a +second-hand clothes shop, and speedily got the articles they +required. Ralph had a long greatcoat, with a fur collar; and a pair +of high boots, coming up to his knees and to be worn over the +trousers. A black fur cap completed his costume. Percy had a black +cap, made of rough cloth, with a peak and with flaps to come down +over the ears; an old greatcoat, with fur round the pockets and +collar; a bright-colored handkerchief, to go two or three times +round the neck; and high boots like those of Ralph. + +They then returned to the hairdresser, and Ralph insisted that the +beard and mustache should be fastened on not only in the ordinary +manner--with springs--but with cobbler's wax. + +"My life," he said, "might depend upon the things not slipping, at +any moment." + +They now went home. The moment that they entered their rooms, Ralph +exclaimed: + +"Why, we have forgotten all about Tim!" + +"So we have," Percy said. "He was to have met us in front of the +railway station at nine o'clock and, of course, he has no idea +where to find us. I will go there. Very likely the poor fellow is +waiting still." + +Percy hurried off; and found Tim, as he had expected, sitting upon +the steps going up to the railway station. He jumped up, with a cry +of joy, upon seeing Percy. + +"The Vargin be praised, Mister Percy! I began to think that you +must have been sent off somewhere, without time to warn me; and I +couldn't, for the life of me, make out what to do." + +"We have not gone, Tim," Percy said, not wishing to hurt the +attached fellow's feelings, by telling him that he had been +forgotten; "but we are starting tomorrow. I will tell you all about +it, when we get in. We have been to see Monsieur Gambetta, this +morning and, do you know, we met Colonel Tempe last night, and are +stopping in his rooms." + +So saying, he walked along at a quick pace towards their lodgings; +Tim occasionally glancing a puzzled look at him. By the time they +reached the room, Ralph had stained his face and hands, and was +busy dressing in his disguise. His back was to the door, when they +entered; but he had heard the Irishman's voice on the stair. + +"Well, Tim, how are you?" he said, turning round. + +"Holy Vargin!" ejaculated Tim, dropping into a chair, and crossing +himself with great fervor "Sure, I'm bewitched. Here's an ould +gentleman, wid a wonderful head of hair, has been staleing Mister +Ralph's voice." + +The two boys went off in a shout of laughter at Tim's genuine +terror. + +"Sure, I'm bewitched, entirely," he went on. "He laughs for all the +world like Mister Ralph. Did ye iver see the like? + +"What is it all, Mister Percy dear?" + +Percy had by this time taken off his cap; and Tim, as he looked him +fairly in the face, gave another start. + +"By the mother of Moses!" he exclaimed, in terror, "we're all +bewitched. Mister Ralph's turned into an ould man, with a furze +bush of hair; and Mister Percy's beautiful hair has all turned +black, and shriveled itself up. Am I turning, myself, I wonder?" +and he looked into the glass, to see if any change had taken place +in his own abundant crop of red hair. + +The boys were laughing so that they could not speak for some time, +and Tim sat gazing at them in speechless bewilderment. At last +Percy, by a great effort, recovered himself; and explained to him +the whole circumstances of the case. The Irishman's astonishment +ceased now, but his dismay was as great as ever. + +"Then is it alone you're going?" he said, at last. "Are you going +into danger again, without taking me with you? You'd never do that, +surely, Mister Ralph?" + +"I am very sorry, Tim, to be separated from you," Ralph said; "but +it is quite impossible for you to go with us. If you understood +French and German as well as we do, the case would be different; +but as it is, the thing is absolutely impossible. You know how +great a trouble it was to disguise you, before; and it would treble +our anxieties and difficulties. Not only that; but even if, in the +face of every possible danger, we got you into Paris with us, there +would be great difficulty in getting you out. Gambetta will give +orders for us to be allowed to come out, in the first balloon; but +it is by no means easy to get places in balloons, and it is +unlikely in the extreme that we should be able to bring you out +with us. So there you would be, shut up in Paris and separated from +us, for months. + +"No, no, Tim, the matter is altogether impossible. You stay quietly +here and, in ten days or a fortnight--if all goes well--we shall be +back again with you." + +"And is it in a balloon you're thinking of coming out, Mister +Ralph; flying like a bird through the air? Och, wirra, wirra! I'll +never see yees again." + +"Nonsense, Tim, there's no danger in a balloon. If getting in were +no more dangerous than getting out, there would not be much peril +in the matter." + +"Ah, Mister Ralph dear, how can you be risking your life, and the +life of your brother in that way? Shooting at a Prussian, or +getting shot at, is all well enough; or going among them with your +hair all puffed out, and your face painted brown, and the hair +growing all over your face before its time, I say nothing against; +but flying through the air, in a balloon, is just tempting the good +Providence. I know what it will be. You'll be just touching against +a cloud, and tumbling out, and breaking yourselves into +smithereens; and nothing to take home to your dear father and +mother, not to mention Miss Milly," and Tim fairly blubbered with +grief, at the thought. + +The boys had great difficulty in pacifying the attached fellow; at +last, with a face expressive of mournful resignation, he agreed to +remain with Colonel Tempe until they returned; or until their +prolonged absence rendered it likely that they would not return at +all--Tim evidently making up his mind that the latter contingency +would happen. In that case, as Tim--now his corps had ceased to +exist--need no longer serve, he expressed his determination to +return to Dijon; and to stay with Captain Barclay until the end of +the war--as he should not, he said, have the heart to fight any +more, when his masters were both killed. + +While the conversation had been going on, the boys had continued +their toilettes. The preparation which they had obtained gave them +an olive complexion; and their transformation was now so complete +that the boys would have passed each other unknown, even had they +looked steadily at each other. Ralph, especially, was utterly +unlike himself. + +They now told Tim to go out and get his breakfast, and to return in +two hours' time; and then started themselves, rounding their +shoulders, and so narrowing their chests as much as possible. Ralph +stopped at an optician's, bought a pair of slightly-colored +spectacles, and put them on. + +It was now twelve o'clock--the preparations having taken them three +hours--and they went to the cafe where they were to meet Colonel +Tempe, to breakfast. He was already there, and they walked up to +the table where he was sitting. + +"These seats are engaged," Colonel Tempe said, shortly. + +The Barclays sat down at the next table; and called, in a foreign +accent, for two glasses of beer. Then they spoke together, for some +little time, about a journey from Saint Malo which they had just +made; and Ralph then turned to Colonel Tempe, still speaking French +with a strong foreign accent. + +"Pardon me, colonel," he said, "we have just arrived from England. +We have a very large quantity of army shoes, and I should feel +under a great obligation if you could inform me who is the proper +person to whom to apply." + +Colonel Tempe at once informed them, adding: + +"If your shoes are good ones, and the price fair, and you can +deliver them soon, you will not have to wait long; for they are +greatly wanted." + +"We have also some harness, for artillery horses," Ralph added. + +"I do not know about that," the colonel said; "but you will obtain +all information from the officer I have mentioned." + +"Thank you very much," Ralph said, and returned to his seat. + +Colonel Tempe looked at his watch, a little impatiently. Ralph, +after a minute or two, again approached him. + +"Don't you think we may as well have breakfast, colonel?" he said, +in his natural voice. + +The colonel looked at him, in speechless surprise. + +"So the disguises are pretty good?" Ralph said, smiling. + +"Impossible!" the colonel exclaimed. "Do my eyes or my ears deceive +me? Can it really be--?" + +"It's us, sure enough, colonel; and now, I suppose we may as well +sit down." + +So saying, the boys took their seats at the table; but Colonel +Tempe still looked from one to the other, in astonishment. + +"Wonderful!" he at last said, "wonderful! Even now I know who it +is, I do not see the faintest possible resemblance. + +"Percy is, of course, less altered than you are, Ralph, because he +is still young looking; but even now I should not recognize him. As +for you, with that wonderful head of hair, and that beard, you look +fifty; and as unlike yourself as possible. Upon my word, if it were +anywhere else but here in Tours--where there are all sorts of +oddities--I should be ashamed, as a colonel in the army, to sit +down to table with you." + +"You are a little ashamed, as it is," Ralph laughed. "We had not +intended to come out in our new character, so soon; but when my +hair was once done, you see, it was impossible to go about in +uniform." + +"But what in the world have you done with your hair?" the colonel +said, examining him closely; for Ralph had taken off his fur cap +and laid it beside him. "You have not got a wig on; and yet, all +that frizzly bunch cannot be your own." + +Ralph explained how it was managed, and added: + +"And now, colonel, that you have recovered from your surprise, let +us have breakfast." + +Breakfast was ordered, to which the boys did full justice; but +Colonel Tempe was still getting on but slowly, for he could not +take his eyes off Ralph's face. + +"Will all that frizzle keep in?" he asked, presently. + +"Yes; the man said that the false hair--which is the greater +portion of it--will keep as well for a week; and we have got a +small curling iron, so we can beautify ourselves up when we like." + +"Well, boys, I have no doubt, now, that you will be able to get as +far as Versailles; as to getting through, that's another +matter--but if anyone can, you will, I am convinced." + +"I have not much doubt about it, colonel," Ralph said. "I seem to +see my way quite clearly into Paris. Much more clearly, indeed, +than I do to getting out again." + +"Oh, it does not matter about getting out again, boys. You can stop +quietly in there, until the end of the siege." + +"That is just what we don't want to do," Percy said. "Would you +kindly ask them to put into the dispatches a request that we may be +sent out again, by the first balloon that comes? We have no fancy, +either of us, for eating rats and cats; which I suppose is what it +will come to, before it is over." + +"I will see to it, boys," the colonel said, smiling; "but really, I +should advise your staying there. You have done all--and more +than--your share of work." + +The boys shook their heads; and it was arranged that, if they got +in, they should come out again in a balloon. + +The next morning, the boys were up at half-past four and, at +half-past five, were at the Prefecture. Colonel Tempe sent in his +name to the minister, and they were at once admitted. Gambetta was +at his writing table. + +"Good morning, Colonel Tempe," he said, cordially; and then added, +in some surprise, "who are these men you have with you, and where +are your young Englishmen? I hope they will not be late." + +"These are they," the colonel said, smiling. + +"They are who?" Gambetta said, puzzled. "I do not understand you, +colonel." + +"These are the Lieutenants Barclay," Colonel Tempe said. + +The minister looked from the colonel to the two boys, and back +again. + +"Do you mean to say--?" he began, incredulously. + +"Yes, sir, it is us," Ralph said; "and I do not think there is much +fear of our being recognized." + +"So little that I do not recognize you, now. + +"There is no mistake, colonel?" he said, gravely; "no +mystification? You give me your pledge, and assurance, that these +are the officers who have volunteered for this duty? Remember, any +mistake might be fatal." + +"These are certainly the Barclays, sir. I give you my word." + +"It is a marvelous disguise," Gambetta said, his doubts now laid at +rest; "and does them immense credit. + +"There are the dispatches, gentlemen. They are done up in these two +quills, and sealed. They are of the utmost importance; and must +not, at any hazard, fall into the hands of the enemy. The +dispatches are in duplicate so that, in case one only gets in, the +purpose is served. + +"This is a circular letter, to all maires and other French +authorities, ordering them to give you every possible assistance. + +"This is a special note, to the Maire of Melun. + +"Here is a letter to General Aurelles, at Orleans. If he is not in +when you arrive, the chief of his staff will do. He is ordered to +send a staff officer with you, through the lines, as far as you +require him. The horses are in the train. + +"Now, goodbye. I wish you a very good future, for you are gallant +young fellows." + +So saying, he shook them warmly by the hand; and they hurried off +to the train. + + + +Chapter 15: The Expedition. + + +A special telegram had been sent forward from Tours to station +master at Orleans, to request him to order the two horses, sent +forward in the train, to be got out of their boxes without any loss +of time; and to do anything else which the owners of the horses +required. Accordingly, as the train was waiting outside the +station, the guard came round and asked at each carriage for the +owners of the horses. He appeared a little surprised, when two Jews +answered the inquiry; as he had expected that they were officers of +high rank, and importance. + +"The compliments of the stationmaster," he said, "and is there +anything he can do with the horses?" + +"Yes," Ralph said. "Give my compliments to the station master; and +say that I shall be much obliged if he will get them out of the +horse boxes, without loss of time, and send them on at once to the +headquarters of General Aurelles. We will go on at once, in a +vehicle." + +Five minutes afterwards the train drew up at the platform, and the +guard ran up. + +"This way, gentlemen. A carriage is engaged." + +Upon arriving at headquarters they found that--owing to the +forethought of Colonel Tempe--they were expected for, upon sending +in their names, they were at once admitted; although several +officers, of all grades, were waiting in the anteroom. + +The colonel of the staff gave a movement of surprise. + +"There is some mistake here," he said, to the orderly who had shown +them in; "I ordered the Lieutenants Barclay to be admitted." + +"These are the gentlemen who gave me the card, colonel," the +orderly answered. + +"It is so," Ralph said. "If you will favor us with a moment alone, +we will explain the matter to you." + +The colonel led the way into a small cabinet, adjoining. + +"We are bearers of dispatches, for General Trochu," Ralph said; +"and have disguised ourselves, to endeavor to pass through the +German lines." + +"Oh, is that it?" the colonel said. "I must really apologize; but +no one," he said, smiling, "could recognize you, in that disguise, +to be French officers. Before we speak further, I must ask you for +some proof that you are what you state yourselves to be; for at +present I have only your cards." + +"Here is our letter from Monsieur Gambetta to General Aurelles," +Ralph said. "It is directed to be opened by you, should he be +absent." + +"That is all right," the colonel said, when he had read it. "My +surprise at your appearance was natural, for the telegram we +received this morning only said: + +"'The two Lieutenants Barclay will arrive, by six o'clock train. +Their business is most important. Have a well-mounted officer of +staff ready to accompany them through lines.' + +"I thought, of course, that you had orders to report on position of +troops; and felt, I admit, rather angry that Gambetta should wish +to send subaltern officers to inspect matters concerning which he +has full reports. + +"You wish, of course, to go on at once?" + +"Our horses will be here in five minutes," Ralph said, "and we wish +to get as far as possible, tonight. We mean to cross the Loing at +Montargis, and get as far as we can, tonight; so as to arrive +either at Meaux, or Melun, tomorrow evening. We should, of course, +prefer Melun, as being much the shortest route towards Versailles. +We shall, of necessity, be guided by the position of the Germans." + +"You have not breakfasted, of course?" the colonel said. "I was +just going to sit down, when you came in; for I go out to the front +at ten, and it is half-past nine, now. You will have no chance of +getting anything, before you arrive at Montargis. + +"I can introduce you to the officer who will accompany you." + +The boys readily accepted the invitation, and at once followed the +colonel into another room; where breakfast was laid, and several +officers of the staff were waiting for the arrival of the colonel, +to begin. There was a general look of surprise, when he entered +with two strange-looking Jews; which was not a little increased +when he said: + +"Gentlemen, the Lieutenants Barclay. You look surprised; but your +astonishment will cease when I tell you that they are upon an +important mission, and do not look like themselves. And now to +table, for they have to start in ten minutes. + +"Captain Duprat, let me make you specially acquainted with these +gentlemen. They are bound for Montargis, and you will see them +through our outposts." + +In another quarter of an hour, the boys were issuing from the +streets of Orleans; and were soon going along, at a hand gallop, by +the road along the banks of the Loire; while to the north stretched +the flat and densely-wooded country known as the Forest of Orleans. +As far as Chateauneuf they kept near the river. Here they halted +half an hour, to give breathing time to their horses; then started +again, and rode fast to Bellegarde. Here was the last post of +regular troops, but Cathlineau's franc tireurs were scattered +throughout the country, as far as Montargis; and it would have been +more difficult for the Barclays to have passed through them than +through the regular troops, as they had less respect for passes. + +After another halt, they again started; and Captain Duprat +accompanied them as far as Montargis, where there was a small body +of franc tireurs. Captain Duprat's orders were to sleep at +Montargis, and then return to Chateauneuf the next day. + +The boys felt rather stiff and tired, as they rode into Montargis; +for they had not been on horseback since the day when they were +taken prisoners, in the Vosges, and they had ridden forty miles +since breakfast. They would, however, have willingly pushed on +another twenty miles; but their horses had even a longer day's work +before them, on the morrow. + +Being accompanied by a staff officer, no questions whatever were +asked them and, after a good dinner at the hotel, they went to the +Maire, to inquire whether he could tell them as to the advanced +posts of the Germans. This functionary--like such functionaries in +general--could give them but slight information but, as far as he +knew, there were no German troops on the right bank of the Loing, +south of its junction with the Yonne. Beyond the Yonne they were +scattered pretty thickly, everywhere. + +At daybreak the next morning, they started. Captain Duprat turned +his horse's head westward again, while the Barclays rode north. +Their pace was rapid; as they never drew rein, except at villages, +to ask whether the Prussians had been heard of. They heard of +parties at Lorrez, and Cheroy; but as they kept through by-lanes, +and as the country was thickly wooded, the risk was--at +present--small. They had with them an excellent map, which enabled +them to follow the smallest footpaths. + +At eleven o'clock, they stopped at the little hamlet of Montarlet. +There they breakfasted, and gave the horses an hour's rest while +they consulted with the Maire. He was a miller, and turned out a +shrewd fellow; entering into the matter with great warmth. He +advised them to ford the Yonne between Montereau and its junction +with the Loing; to keep to the woods for ten miles, and then to +turn to the left, and to cross the Seine--at one of the numerous +fords there--into the Forest of Fontainebleau; and they would then +find themselves between that town and Melun, and could ride boldly +into Melun, as if they had come from Fontainebleau. + +"I know every foot of the country," he said, "and will guide you, +till you are safely across the Seine. If we should, by any chance, +fall upon a patrol of the enemy, it will be simple enough to say +that I am a miller of Montarlet; and that you have shown me your +permission to travel about, through the German line; and have asked +me to guide you, by the shortest way, to Melun." + +They had every reason to be thankful to their guide, for they found +that there were a great many scattered parties of Uhlans about. By +dint of making detours through woods, however, they succeeded in +striking the Seine, at Fontaine le Port, without once meeting them. + +This village was, however, occupied by some half-dozen cavalry; and +it was impossible to pass the river, unseen by them. The Barclays +thanked, very warmly, their friend the Maire, and promised to +mention his conduct, upon their return to Tours; and then, saying +goodbye to him, rode into the village alone. The sergeant of Uhlans +came to the door of the principal cabaret, and looked out. + +"Good day," Ralph said, in German, reining up his horse. "Is it +here that I cross the river, for Fontainebleau? They told me, at Le +Chatelet, that it was shorter than going round by the main road." + +"Yes, you are right here," the sergeant said. "Have you passes?" + +"Oh yes," Ralph said, laughing. "It would have been no easy matter +to get from Frankfort here, without them." + +So saying, he pulled out the Prussian permit. + +"That is right," the sergeant said. "Your horses look very done." + +"We have ridden from Coulommiers through Rozoy, and Normant." + +"It would have been an easier road to have gone from Normant +through Melun," the sergeant said. And he took out a map, and +examined it. "No, I see le Chatelet is a more direct line." + +"We have time to wait an hour," Ralph said, turning to Percy; "and +it will be better for our beasts. See that they are rubbed down, +and fed." + +The sergeant gave a peremptory shout, and the master of the wine +shop ran out. The sergeant pointed to the horses. + +"Do you speak French?" he asked Ralph. + +"No," Ralph said, "but my son does. + +"Aaron, tell him to rub them down, and feed them well; and see to +it, yourself. These dogs are capable of cheating even a horse." + +Ralph then entered the cabaret, and called for some bread and +cheese and a bottle of the best wine, with three glasses. The +Prussian sergeant sat down with them, and talked of Germany for an +hour. Then they started again, crossed the river and, an hour and a +half later, entered Melun. Here, as they came in by the road from +Fontainebleau--which was held in force by the Germans--no question +was asked. + +They rode their tired horses through the streets, until they saw a +quiet hotel. Riding into the yard, they told the hostler to put up +their horses, and to clean and feed them well; enforcing their +request with a five-franc piece. They then entered the hotel, and +found that they could have beds; as the number of German officers +quartered upon this house was smaller than usual, owing to the +greater portion of the troops having been pushed on, to reinforce +Von der Tann. + +It was now half-past five, and was already dusk. They therefore +went at once to the Maire; to whom they presented Gambetta's +letter, and requested his assistance in purchasing a van, with a +pair of good strong horses, at once. + +"It will be next to impossible to get horses," the Maire said, "but +I will do my best. I have two carriage horses, of good breed; but I +fear, if I were to let you have them, the Prussians might remark +it." + +"We have two first-rate animals," Ralph said, "from Gambetta's own +stables. They have carried us a hundred miles, since breakfast time +yesterday. They are likely to be at least as good as yours are, +only they want a few days' rest. Will you exchange?" + +"Certainly," the Maire said, at once. "If any inquiries were to be +made about it, I need make no secret of that transaction. + +"As for the covered cart, I will send round at once to those of my +neighbors who have one; and as you are ready to pay for it, and as +the Prussians are requisitioning them without payment, you can rely +upon having one tomorrow morning, ready for your start. I will send +a note round to you, tonight, to tell you where it is, at present." + +"We had better go now to the German commandant's office, and get +our passes countersigned. When that is done, we shall be all right +for Versailles." + +"Yes, I should advise you to do that," the Maire said. "You will +not have much difficulty. They are civil enough about passes, and +matters of that kind. Will you mention you have seen me?" + +"Not unless any question is asked about horses; in which case we +should of course mention that--hearing you had a pair of horses, +and ours requiring rest--we had changed with you." + +They now went boldly to the orderly room. An officer was on duty. + +"Will you please to visa this for Versailles?" Ralph said, in +German. + +The officer took it, glanced at it, and at them. + +"The last visa I see was at Meaux, a fortnight since." + +"We have been traveling on horseback, since," Ralph said; "and have +had no occasion to have it visaed, as it has always passed us +without trouble. As we are now going to Versailles, with a wagon, +we thought it better to have the pass visaed here." + +"Where have you come from, now?" + +"From Fontainebleau," Ralph said. "We have been down to Pithiviers, +and I sent off four wagon loads of things from there, for the +frontier." + +"Your best way is through Corbeil, and Longjumeau," the officer +said, handing back the paper. + +"Thank you, sir," Ralph replied, "that is the way we are intending +to go." + +In the evening, the Maire himself came in to look at the horses; +and told them that he had obtained a good light-covered wagon, with +springs, which had been used for the removal of furniture. The +price was a thousand francs. + +"If you like," he said, "to come round with me now; my servant +shall take the horses round there, put them in, and bring the wagon +here; and he can then take your horses back with him to my stables. + +"Please to write me a paper--signed by the name on your German +pass--saying that you have bought my horses of me, and have sold me +yours. Put down any figures you like as having passed between us. +You are upon a very perilous expedition and, in case of anything +happening to you, it would be well for me that nothing, beyond a +mere business transaction, could be traced between us." + +At seven o'clock the next morning they started. The distance was +only thirty miles, but the roads were terribly slippery from the +deep snow, now trampled flat by the immense traffic of the army. It +was five in the afternoon when they reached the first sentries, at +the entrance to Versailles. The pass was sufficient, and they went +on uninterrupted. Percy drove, and Ralph sat beside him. + +The town swarmed with officers and soldiers, of all ranks. No one +paid them any attention, and they drove through the Place d'Armes +and on to the marketplace; where they knew there were many inns, +frequented by the market people. Here--as they expected--they found +it impossible to get a bed; but they had no difficulty in obtaining +permission for the wagon to stand in a yard, and were lucky enough +to get stable room for the horses. They went into the town and +bought four blankets; and as, at starting, they had filled the +wagon two feet deep with straw, they had--in spite of the cold +weather--every hope of passing a comfortable night. + +Dinner was the next thing and, that over, they strolled about until +nine o'clock. It was a singular sight, this army of invaders +comfortably quartered in the ancient capital of France. The palace, +the statues in front of it, everything told of the glories of +France; every park around, every little palace was infinitely +associated with its sovereigns; and here, in the midst of these +memorials, the German invaders stalked carelessly, drank in the +cafes, or feasted in the hotels, as if the place had belonged to +them from time immemorial. Afar off, in the quiet of the evening, +could be heard the distant boom of the guns round the beleaguered +city. + +There were several things which the Barclays wanted to get; but +they had no difficulty with them, as the shops were all open, as +usual. The population had a depressed look. All classes were +suffering much, with the exception of the shopkeepers, whose +business was as brisk as ever--save only those tradesmen who dealt +in articles of female attire, for which there was no demand, +whatever. The ladies of Versailles went as little as possible into +the streets; and when they did so, all dressed themselves in black, +or other somber colors. + +By nine o'clock the shops were all closed; and the Barclays +returned to their wagon, with their purchases in their hands. + +"It's awfully cold, Ralph!" Percy said, as they rolled themselves +in their blankets, and covered themselves over with straw. + +"It is, Percy; but it will be a deal colder, in the river." + +Percy gave a shudder at the thought. + +"Don't you think, Ralph, that there is any possibility of entering +on either of the other sides?" + +"Not the slightest, Percy. It must be across the river, or not at +all. The sentries will not be anything like so thick, upon that +side." + +Had anyone looked into the wagon, at eight o'clock next morning, he +would have been surprised at the occupation upon which the boys +were engaged. Each was sewing a piece of thin waterproof cloth upon +a pair of white woolen gloves; so that the fingers, when outspread, +had the appearance of the webbed foot of a frog. + +"That ought to help us," Ralph said, when they finished. "For a +really long swim, I daresay they would be very fatiguing; but it is +cold, not fatigue, we have to fear, and speed is therefore +everything." + +At nine o'clock, Ralph went to the office of the general in +command. There were a number of other persons waiting for permits, +and Ralph waited his turn to go in to the officer engaged in +signing them. + +"I am from Frankfort, as my papers show," he said, handing the +officer his pass. "I wish for a pass to go, with my horse and cart, +to Bellevue. There are, I hear, many officers desirous of selling, +or sending home, articles they have saved." + +Saved, it may be mentioned, was the word employed in the German +army for stolen--which has an ugly sound. + +The officer signed the paper. + +"You must not go by the Sevres route," he said. "You must turn off +at Viroflay, and go by Chaville." + +Half an hour later they started in the wagon At the gates of +Versailles--a mile from the town--they were stopped by sentries; +but allowed to pass on production of the order, with the necessary +stamp. + +"Everything is going on well, thus far," Ralph said, as they turned +off from the main road, at Viroflay. "It looks like snow, too, +which would exactly suit us." + +Viroflay was crowded with Prussian troops. An officer stopped them, +as they passed. + +"Where are you going to?" + +"We are going to Bellevue," Ralph said. "We are purchasers of any +curiosities or souvenirs of the war--such as pictures, or +clocks--and we also undertake to deliver, in Germany, any article +which may be entrusted to our charge. We have our passes and +papers, in regular order." + +"Wait a minute," the officer said. "Draw up at that villa there." + +The wagon drew up to the villa, the officer walking in front. He +motioned to Ralph to dismount, and to follow him into the house; +leaving Percy in charge of the wagon Five or six officers were +sitting in what had been the drawing room of the villa. + +"Who have you got here?" one of them asked, as Ralph's conductor +entered. + +"A worthy Hebrew," the other laughed, "who will either purchase, or +carry home, articles saved." + +There was a general movement of interest. The furniture of the room +was a wreck, the papers were hanging in strips, a broken chair was +blazing upon the fire; several family portraits on the wall were +pierced with holes, having evidently served the purpose of targets, +for pistol shooting. + +Ralph's conductor left the room for a moment, and returned with a +very handsome drawing room clock; worth, Ralph knew, at least +fifteen hundred francs. + +"How much will you give for that?" + +Ralph examined it critically. + +"Four hundred francs," he said. + +"Nonsense! It cost five times that." + +"About four times," Ralph said, "when it was new. It is not new, +now, and it has to be taken to Germany. If you prefer it, I will +carry it to Frankfort; and send it on thence by rail, at ten +percent upon its value." + +"Yes, I will agree to that," the officer said. "How much will that +be?" + +"I am content to take it at your own valuation," Ralph said. "The +value you set upon the clock was two thousand francs." + +There was a laugh among the other officers. + +"He has you there, major." + +"Not at all," the officer said. "He shall take it at the valuation +he placed upon it--four hundred francs." + +"Pardon me," Ralph said, "I did not value it at that sum, I only +offered to give that sum for it; besides which, that was an +estimate of the value I set upon it at Viroflay, not the value I +should set upon it at Frankfort. + +"I will say one thousand francs; that is, I will undertake it at a +hundred, if you will get it put into a case of some sort." + +The other officers now offered various objects, either for sale or +transport--pictures, vases, clocks, and even pianos. Ralph haggled +over the price of each article, in a way which would have done +honor to his appearance. At last--having arranged all their +matters--he said that he was going on to Bellevue; but would call +and complete the purchases, and receive the goods entrusted to him, +either that night or the next morning. + +"If any of you gentleman would kindly give me your card, to give to +the officer of the regiment at Bellevue, saying that you have found +me fair in my dealing, I should feel very grateful," Ralph said, +humbly. + +The officer laughed, but one of them took out his card, and wrote +upon it: + +"Dear Von Koch, this man is--for a Hebrew--tolerably fair in his +ideas." + +"That is for the major of the regiment, at Bellevue," he said; and +Ralph bowed, as if he had received a recommendation of the warmest +kind. + +"I was beginning to be alarmed, Ralph," Percy said, when his +brother again took his place in the wagon. + +"I have been haggling over prices," Ralph said. "Fortunately, we +are not pressed for time." + +They had another stop, of some duration, at Chaville; and it was +nearly three o'clock in the afternoon before they came down to the +back of Bellevue. Here they were stopped and, upon Ralph producing +his pass, an officer came up. + +"You cannot go any farther," he said. "You are close to Bellevue, +now; but if you were to take this wagon into the main road, you +would draw Valerien's fire upon us, at once. + +"You will find most of the officers there," pointing to a large +house, near. + +"I have this card, for Major Von Koch," Ralph said. "I am here to +buy, or carry home on commission, goods of all kinds." + +The officer went with Ralph; and the scene at Viroflay was +repeated, but upon a much larger scale. Viroflay is a small +village, containing only a few large villas; Bellevue is composed +almost entirely of handsome residences, owned by Parisians. The +quantity of articles "saved" was proportionately large. + +After examining and bargaining for a large number of valuable +articles of furniture, pictures and clocks; Ralph left, with some +of the officers, to view other articles in the villas upon the side +of Bellevue, looking down upon the river. Percy had taken the +horses out of the wagon, and accompanied his brother, ostensibly to +carry back any articles purchased. + +At one of the villas Ralph expressed a great desire to go out into +the garden, to look over Paris; and the officer with him--being in +an excellent humor, at the disposal of some articles at much higher +prices than he had expected to receive; and at having the proceeds, +in German bank notes, in his pockets--went out himself, and pointed +out all the various objects of interest. + +The fog of a winter's evening was already shutting in the view, but +the boys could see the principal buildings of Paris. The towers of +Notre Dame, the domes of the Pantheon and Invalides, the heights of +Montmartre and Vilette, and the forts of Issy and Vanves were +distinctly visible. The boys' eyes turned, however, more to the +river at their feet, and the intervening ground, than upon the +objects--however interesting--of distant Paris. + +"Do not show yourself," the officer said. "If we were caught sight +of, from Issy or Point du Jour--or from that gunboat, below--we +should have a rain of shells about us, in no time. You can look out +from among the trees; but do not get beyond their shelter, or you +will be seen, instantly." + +The house in whose garden they were standing stood upon the brow of +the hill. Behind was a little wood, and gardens sloping +pretty-steeply down. Then along by the water was a street, with +houses upon either side. The river was, here, divided by an island; +the lower end of which, however, scarcely extended low enough to be +opposite to the spot upon which the boys were standing. + +"Bless me," Ralph said, "it must be very dangerous, living down +there. Why, that gunboat could blow the place into the air." + +"That she could," the officer said, "and consequently, none of our +men live there. We have sentries along the river bank, and a few +others scattered about; but none of the troops are quartered there, +nor even in this line of villas where we now are. If we were to +show a light at night, in any window here, we should have a shell +in in a couple of minutes. We have no fear, whatever, of a sortie +in this direction; and have plenty of force behind." + +Ralph and Percy lingered, upon one excuse or another; asking +questions as long as they could, and making the best use of their +time, to gain a fair idea of the ground that they would have to +cross. They had with them, in the wagon, a map of Bellevue and +Meudon upon a large scale, with every house marked upon it. + +"It is going to be a dark night," the officer said, as they hurried +away, "and we shall have snow before midnight." + +Another hour or two was spent in purchasing various articles, taken +from the French villas. Darkness had come on, and Ralph told the +officers that he should not return until the next morning to +Versailles; and that if the articles to be entrusted to his care +for delivery were put in rough cases--of which there were plenty, +which had come full of stores--and brought by ten o'clock in the +morning, carefully directed, it would be in sufficient time. + +"Will you give us leave to sleep in one of the villas, upon the +farther side of the road?" Ralph asked the officer in command. "My +boy has never seen a shot fired, in earnest; and I should like him +to be able to say he had watched the fire of the forts, round +Paris." + +"If you sleep there," the colonel said, "you must not light a fire, +or show a light, or you would bring the fire of a hundred guns upon +us." + +"I will be very careful, sir," Ralph answered. "Will you kindly let +an orderly go with us, to pass us through the sentries? For, as +it's dark now, they would not let us pass." + +The colonel gave the order, and an orderly went with them. They +stopped at the wagon, and each took out a large bundle. + +"We shall want our blankets, tonight," Ralph said. "It is bitterly +cold. + +"Would you like a glass of brandy, to help keep it out, my man?" + +The soldier smiled an assent, drank off a glass of brandy, and then +accompanied them to the villa. Short as was the distance, they were +challenged twice, and the sign and counter-sign had to be +exchanged. They reached the deserted villa, threw down the bundles +in a corner; and then the orderly said good night, and left them to +themselves. + + + +Chapter 16: A Desperate Attempt. + + +"So far, so good, Percy!" Ralph said, when they heard the street +door slam, as the orderly left. "Hitherto we have had the most +extraordinary good fortune and, as it's going to snow--for I felt a +few flakes, as we came along--I look upon it as good as done." + +"It will take away from us risk of being hit, but I don't see that +it will make much difference in our risk of being drowned," Percy +said. "I own, Ralph, I am a great deal more afraid of that, than of +the other." + +"But it does, Percy. It makes all the difference in the world. We +had agreed that we would put on life belts; but that we would blow +the smallest quantity of air possible into them, so that they might +give us some slight assistance, and yet not be too buoyant to +prevent us from diving. Now we can blow them up with wind, so as to +prevent the possibility of our being drowned. Once in the water, +and we are safe from everything except a stray bullet. In a +snowstorm, on such a dark night as this, they could not see our +heads five yards off." + +"But what is worse, Ralph, we shall not be able to see five yards, +either; and should have no idea where we were swimming." + +"I had not thought of that, Percy. Yes, that would be very +serious," and Ralph thought, for some time. "It seems a risk, this, +Percy; but I can see no plan, except to draw their fire." + +"How do you mean?" Percy asked, puzzled. + +"You see, Percy, our idea before was to get down to the shore, to +put our dummy into the water, and to let it float down a hundred +yards--the length of its string--and then to start ourselves, +holding the other end of the string, in hopes that--if the sentries +are really sharply on the lookout--they would see the dummy, +instead of us, as it will be a much more conspicuous object; +especially as we intended to do as much diving as we could, and our +movements forward would jerk the dummy's string, and make him bob, +like a man swimming. If they once caught sight of it, they would be +too busy firing at it to look about for anyone else. + +"Well now, I think that instead of giving up the dummy +altogether--as we might have done, now that the snow has come +on--we must let it float gently down, for seventy or eighty yards; +and then throw a stone into the water by it, so as to draw the +attention of the sentry. Or--if the sentries are pretty far +apart--one of us might make a great splash in the water, when the +dummy is floating; and then run back before the sentry gets up, and +get into the water quietly, higher up. Their fire will act as a +guide to us." + +"We had better start soon, Ralph. It may take us an hour, or even +two, to get down to the water; for we must go along like ghosts, so +as not to alarm the sentries; and we shall have walls to get over, +and all sorts of difficulties." + +"All right, Percy. I do not see the use of waiting. We shall not +get any warmer, by stopping here. It's like having a tooth out. +One's got to do it, and the sooner it's done, the better. + +"Now for our bundles." + +They went downstairs into a cellar--where the light could not be +seen from outside--struck a light, and lit a candle. The first +thing taken out of the bundle was the dummy--a net, rather larger +than a man's head, tightly filled with corks; with a cord, a +hundred yards in length, attached. Next were two complete suits, +made of white calico; with caps, with long flaps of the same +material. Next were two large rolls of India rubber webbing, about +six inches wide, which they had brought from Tours with them. + +"I can't think that that will be any good, Ralph." + +"It will, indeed, Percy. The water will, of course, soak through; +but what gets in will remain in, and the heat of the body will warm +it, a good deal. I can assure you, it will be a great deal warmer +than having the icy water flowing past you." + +Both boys now took off their coats and waistcoats, put on a warm +flannel jersey over their flannel shirts, and then wound the +bandages of India rubber round each other's bodies. They began +under the arms; drawing the webbing tight, as they wound it round, +so that its natural elasticity caused each turn to press tightly +upon the turn above, which it overlapped. This bandage was +continued down to the lower part of the body. Then they put on the +life belts. Over them they put their suits of white calico, white +shoes with India rubber soles, the white caps, and swimming gloves. + +They then put the "dummy" in a pillow case, which they had bought +for it at Versailles. Before putting on their caps, they fastened +the quills with the dispatches in their hair. In a belt, underneath +their jackets, each carried a heavy revolver. + +"This India rubber stuff regularly squeezes me, Ralph." + +"All the better, Percy. You will feel the benefit of it, when you +are in the water, believe me." + +The boys now knelt down together, and asked for protection through +the peril which they were about to encounter. A few minutes later +they rose, grasped each other's hand; and then--blowing out the +light--groped their way upstairs, opened a window which led into +the garden, and stepped out. + +The wind was blowing strongly. Snowflakes were being whisked hither +and thither, like spray from a wave. Had it not been for the gleam +from the snow-covered ground, it would have been impossible to see +ten paces, here. As it was, it was intensely dark. + +"It's lucky that it's downhill, Percy, or we should never find our +way to the water's edge. If we keep descending, we must be there, +at last." + +Before starting, the boys went a few paces from each other; and +were pleased to find that their white costumes suited admirably as, +between the driving snow and the white sheet upon the ground, they +could not make each other out at more than eight or ten yards, even +when they knew exactly where they stood. They now began to descend +the hill, very carefully, step by step. The snow upon the ground +made walking much more easy than it otherwise would have been. +Their footsteps--muffled alike by the India-rubber soles, and the +snow upon which they walked--were inaudible, even to themselves. +They had several walls to climb, and the noiseless India-rubber +soles were of good service, here. Several times they could hear the +sentries, beating their feet upon the ground to warm them; but in +no case were they near enough to see them. + +At last, after an hour and a half--spent in passing the three +hundred yards which separated them from the river--they reached, in +safety, the wall of the road which runs along by the river. Here +the sentries were pacing along at distances of thirty or forty +yards apart. The white houses, upon the opposite side of the road, +could be faintly seen; and the boys moved along until opposite an +opening between them, by which they could get through to the river. +Looking over the wall, they could watch the sentries and--choosing +their time when one had just passed, so that his back would be +turned towards them--he no sooner disappeared in the darkness than +they dropped noiselessly into the road, ran across the street, +climbed a low railing, and stood in a garden which reached down to +the river. + +They stood watching, for some time, to assure themselves that no +sentry was placed in the garden; but at last they stole forwards +and stood at the end of the garden, with the river at their feet. +The snow--which was at their backs--was falling faster than ever. +The river deepened rapidly from the wall; but the water was low +enough for anyone to get along on the sloping side--faced with +rough stone--between the foot of the wall and the water. + +The boys got over the wall, took the dummy from the bag and, +holding one end of the cord, put it quietly into the water; and +allowed it to float down, about sixty yards. + +"Now, Percy," Ralph said, "you get ready to slip into the water, as +quietly as possible, the moment you hear a splash. I will leave +this bag here, so as to know exactly where you have gone in and--as +the rope is plenty long enough--you keep hold of it here, at sixty +yards from the dummy; and I will fasten the slack end to the stone +so that, when I go in, I have only to hold the rope in my hand, to +be able to join you. I will take this heavy coping stone in my +hand; will crawl along on this shelving bank, till I arrive at the +dummy; and will then throw the stone in, and run back at full +speed, and be in the water a few seconds after you are." + +"All right, Ralph, I understand. Keep your pistol cocked in your +hand, as you go." + +Ralph crept quietly along, under the wall, until he saw the dummy +floating at the edge of the water, a few feet below him. He rose on +his feet, to throw in the stone; when he heard a deep exclamation +behind him and, looking round, he saw a dark figure within two feet +of him. Another moment, and the sentry would have brought his rifle +to his shoulder--for he sprang back, giving a loud shout--but +Ralph wheeled round instantaneously, threw up his revolver, and +fired at the sentinel's body. + +He saw him fall; turned round, hurled the heavy stone with a loud +splash into the water, and then--crawling low under the wall--ran +at full speed back again. As he did so, two sentries in the garden +over his head fired, in the direction of the splash in the water; +and shouts were heard all along the bank. + +In another instant Ralph grasped the line, and slid down the snowy +slopes into the water; entering so quietly that no sound, whatever, +betrayed his entry. It was icy cold, and almost took away his +breath. Twenty strokes, and he joined Percy. + +"All right, old man, they can't see us now." + +"You are not hit, are you, Ralph?" Percy gasped. + +"No, it was my revolver. I had to shoot a sentry, to save my life. +It's lucky we have got these life belts on, for I am sure we should +never get across." + +"There! There!" was shouted, in German. "I see his head bobbing up +and down," and eight or ten rifle shots were fired, from the garden +where the sentry had fallen, in the direction of the dummy. + +The boys swam on desperately, then Ralph said: + +"You can slip the string now, Percy. The dummy has done its work. +It must be quite out of sight from the bank. + +"Do not you feel the benefit of the India rubber?" + +"Yes," Percy said, "I am warm enough, in the body; but my legs are +in agony, from the cold. These gloves are helping us on, though, at +a great rate." + +"Well, there is one blessing," Ralph said, "we can't miss the way, +now." + +As he spoke, a heavy fire of musketry opened from the French, upon +the other side. Alarmed at the sudden fire on the part of the +Germans, they fired at the flashes of their guns and, fresh +reinforcements coming up on either side, a heavy exchange of +musketry shots took place across the river; partially over the +boys' heads, but principally a hundred yards lower down the stream, +in the direction where the dummy was seen by the Germans. + +The boys swam with long, steady, noiseless strokes. + +"We must be halfway across," Ralph said. + +"I am getting deadly cold, all over, Ralph. I can't sink, of +course; but I shall freeze to death, before I reach the opposite +bank." + +"No, no, Percy," Ralph said, as cheerily as he could; though he +felt, himself, that the intense cold was rapidly overcoming his +strength. "Keep up your heart. Strike as hard as you can. The more +you exert yourself, the better." + +In another minute or two, Ralph found he was leaving Percy behind, +and slackened his speed. + +"Goodbye, Ralph. My legs are all cramped up, and my arms are +numbed. I can't swim another stroke. It is all up with me," he +said, faintly. "God bless you. Don't stop with me; you can do no +good, and your only chance is to go on." + +Ralph, however, put one hand upon Percy's life belt, and struck out +for shore; but he felt that it was hopeless. Frightful pains were +shooting through his limbs, and he breathed what he believed to be +a last prayer; when a boom like thunder, a few yards off, +galvanized him into life again--for he saw the gunboat, which they +had seen in the morning, only a few yards distant. She had just +fired a gun, loaded with grape, in the direction of the Germans who +were firing. She was still at anchor, and the stream was drifting +them down fast upon her. + +"Help!" Ralph shouted. "Help! We are drowning, and have dispatches +Throw a rope, quick!" + +"Where are you?" answered a voice. + +"Here, close to you, just abreast," Ralph shouted. + +In another instant a rope struck his face. He grasped it, twisted +it tightly round Percy's body and his own, tied a rough knot with +his last strength, and then lost consciousness. + +When he recovered his senses, his first sensation was that of +intense pain--so intense that it extracted a groan from him. + +"That's right, rub away; and pour some more brandy down his +throat," a voice said. + +Then he became conscious that he was being rubbed with hot +flannels. He opened his eyes, and saw a gleaming of moving +machinery, and the red glare of furnaces. + +"Where am I?" he asked, at last. + +"In the engine room of the gunboat Farcey," a voice said. + +"I am suffering agony," Ralph murmured, between his teeth. + +"I daresay," the officer who was standing by him answered. "You +were pretty near frozen to death. Luckily your life belts kept you +from taking in any water, but it was a near squeak. Another three +minutes in the water, and the doctor says it would have been all up +with you." + +"Where is my brother?" Ralph asked suddenly; sitting up, with a +full consciousness of all that had passed. + +"He is coming round," the officer said. "He was farther gone than +you were; and his heart's action was altogether suspended, from the +cold. His limbs are twitching now, and the doctor says he will do. + +"You call him your brother, but I suppose you mean your son?" + +"Please lend me some clothes," Ralph said. "I can stand, now." + +Some clothes had already been got in readiness, and warmed; and in +a couple of minutes Ralph was kneeling by his brother's side. Percy +was now coming to, and was suffering agonies similar to those which +Ralph himself had experienced, from the recommencement of +circulation in his limbs. He looked round, utterly bewildered; for +he had become insensible before the Farcey's gun had given notice +of her proximity. He smiled, however, when his eyes fell on Ralph's +face. + +"It is all right, Percy, thank God," Ralph said. "We are on board +the gunboat Farcey and, in ten minutes, we shall be landed in the +heart of Paris." + +In another five minutes, Percy was sufficiently recovered to begin +to dress. The commander of the Farcey now turned to Ralph. + +"Your son has had a very narrow shave of it, sir." + +"Son!" Ralph said, "He is my brother." + +The officer looked surprised. + +"How old do you take me to be?" Ralph asked. + +"Forty-five or fifty," the officer said. + +"I shall not be seventeen for some months," Ralph answered. + +The officer looked at him with an air of intense astonishment, and +there was a burst of laughter from the men standing round. The +commandant frowned angrily at them. + +"Quite so, my dear sir," he said, soothingly. "I was only joking +with you. It is evident that you are not yet seventeen." + +"You think I have lost my senses, with the shock," Ralph said, +smiling. "I can assure you that that is my age. My beard and +whiskers are so firmly fixed on, with cobbler's wax, that I shall +have an awful trouble to get them off; and my hair the same. If you +feel along here, from one ear to the other, you will feel a ridge. +That is the cobbler's wax, that sticks all this mass of frizzled +hair on. + +"Did you not notice that both my brother's and my face and hands +were much darker than the rest of our skin?" + +"Yes, the doctor did notice that," the captain said--now beginning +to think that Ralph was not insane, after all. + +Passing his finger where Ralph directed him, he felt the ridge of +the false hair. + +"Who are you then, may I ask?" he said. + +"My brother and myself are named Barclay," Ralph said. "We are +lieutenants in the army, and are both decorated for service in the +field. We left Tours four days ago, and are bearers of dispatches +from Gambetta to General Trochu." + +A cheer broke from all who were standing within hearing; and the +boys' hands--for Percy came up at the moment--were warmly shaken by +the officers of the boat, one after another. Congratulations of all +sorts were heaped upon them, and those around were unable to make +enough of them. + +"No pigeon has come in, for ten days," the commander said. "You +will indeed be welcome." + +At this moment, a sailor came down to say that they were passing +the Louvre and, in another two minutes, the gunboat lay alongside +the wharf. + +"You do not know, I suppose, where Trochu is to be found?" the +commander of the Farcey asked. + +"No, indeed," Ralph said. + +"I will go with you, myself," the officer said. "If the general has +gone to bed, we must knock him up. He won't mind, when he hears the +reason." + +It was but a short distance to walk, but the boys had great +difficulty in getting there; for their limbs were stiff and aching, +and they felt a burning sensation all over them, as if they had +been dipped in boiling water. General Trochu had not yet gone to +bed and--upon the message being delivered by the orderly, "The +commander of the Farcey, with officers bearing dispatches, from +Tours,"--he ordered them to be instantly admitted. + +"These are the Lieutenants Barclay, general," the commander of the +Farcey said. "A heavy firing broke out, suddenly, from the water +side at Lower Meudon. It was answered from our side and--thinking +that it might be someone trying to swim across--I fired a round of +grape into the Germans, and ordered a sharp lookout to be kept. I +had scarcely spoken the words before we were hailed for a rope; and +in another minute these officers--both insensible from cold--were +pulled on board. Thinking they might have dispatches, I at once +started up the river; and when they were brought round, by the +surgeon, they stated that they were the Lieutenants Barclay, +bearers of dispatches from Tours." + +"Gallantly done, gentlemen! Bravely done!" the general said warmly, +shaking both boys by the hand. + +The burning heat of Percy's hand struck him, at once. + +"Where are your dispatches, gentlemen? You have preserved them, I +hope?" + +Ralph produced the two quills. + +"They are duplicate, general," he said. "We each carried one, in +case any accident might befall one of us." + +"Thank you," the general said. "I need now detain you no longer. I +have work here for all night, and you had better go instantly to +bed. Your brother is in a high state of fever." + +He touched a bell, and an officer in waiting came in. + +"Captain Bar, will you kindly take these gentlemen to a hotel, at +once. The horses are, as usual, in the carriage I suppose; +and,"--he dropped his voice--"send a message from me to request +Doctor Marcey to see them, at once. The younger one is in a state +of high fever." + +In another quarter of an hour the boys were in comfortable beds, in +rooms adjoining each other. Ralph--who was heavy and stupid, with +the effects of the cold--was asleep almost the instant his head +touched the pillow. He was roused a short time afterwards by being +shaken and, opening his eyes, he saw someone leaning over him. + +"Drink this," the gentleman said, holding a glass to his lips. + +Ralph mechanically did as he was told; and fell off again into a +heavy sleep, from which he did not awake until late the next +afternoon. + +His first impulse was to look at his watch. It had stopped at +eleven o'clock, the night before--the hour at which he had entered +the Seine. Then he rang the bell. + +"What o'clock is it?" he asked, when the servant entered. + +"Just struck five, sir." + +"What, five in the afternoon?" Ralph exclaimed. + +"Yes, sir." + +"I have slept," Ralph said, with a laugh. "However, I feel all +right again, now. + +"Is my brother up?" + +"No, sir," the man said. + +"Percy!" Ralph shouted, "It is five o'clock in the afternoon. Get +up." + +"The other gentleman is not in the next room, sir," the servant +said. + +"Is he not?" Ralph said, puzzled. "I was desperately sleepy last +night, certainly; but not too sleepy, I should have thought, to +have made a mistake about that. I feel sure he was in the next +room." + +"He was, sir," the servant said, "but Doctor Marcey, when he came +to see you--just after you got into bed--ordered him to be carried +at once into another room, in order that he might not disturb you. +He said it was essential that you should have your sleep out, +undisturbed." + +"But why should my brother disturb me?" Ralph asked, anxiously. "Is +he not well?" + +"No, sir, he has got fever. He has been calling out, a great deal. +He has got two sisters with him, and the doctor has been every +hour." + +By this time Ralph was out of bed. + +"Here are some clothes, sir," the man said, handing them to him. +"The landlord thought you would want some at once, when you woke; +and ordered three or four suits for you to try." + +Ralph seized the first that came to hand, and threw them on. + +"All Paris was talking about your getting through the enemy, last +night, sir. There have been hundreds of people here to call." + +Ralph did not even hear what was said. + +"Now," he said, "take me to him, at once." + +The servant led Ralph along a passage and stopped at a door, at +which he knocked. A Sister of Mercy opened the door. + +"This is the other gentleman." + +The sister opened the door for Ralph to enter. + +"He is quiet now," she said, in a soft, compassionate tone. + +Ralph went into the room. Percy lay in the bed, with his head +surrounded with ice. His face was flushed, and his eyes wild. He +was moving uneasily about, talking to himself. + +"It is that schoolmaster who is at the bottom of it," he muttered. +"He was a traitor, and I thought we hung him, but I suppose we +didn't. Perhaps he got down, after we had gone off. If not, how +could he have betrayed us again? + +"I have heard of liquid fire, but that was liquid ice. It got into +my veins, somehow, instead of blood. I tell you, Ralph, it's no +good. I can't stand it any longer; but I will pay off that +schoolmaster, first. Let me get at him," and he made an effort to +rise. + +The sister tried to restrain him, but so violent were his efforts +to rise that Ralph--who was looking on, with tears streaming down +his cheeks--was obliged to assist to hold him down. When he became +quiet, the sister forced some medicine between his lips--Ralph +holding up his head. + +"Shall I speak to him?" Ralph asked. "He may know my voice." + +"Better not, sir," the nurse said, "it would probably only set him +off again." + +"What does the doctor say about him?" Ralph asked. + +"He says it is brain fever," the nurse said. "He only said it might +be some days, before the crisis came; and that he could not give +any decided opinion, at present. But he seemed to have hope." + +"Thank God, at least, for that!" Ralph said, earnestly. + +Percy, turning his head round again, caught sight of Ralph. + +"Ah, there is that schoolmaster again! If no one else will hang +him, I will do it, myself. Let me get at him!" + +And he again made desperate efforts to get out of bed. + +"You had better go, sir," one of the sisters said, urgently. "The +sight of you makes him worse, and you can do him no good." + +Seeing that it was so, Ralph reluctantly left the room; his only +comfort being that Percy was as carefully tended, and looked after, +as it was possible for him to be. He had scarcely returned to his +room, when an officer was shown in. + +"I daresay you hardly remember me," he said. "I came here with you, +last night." + +"I am very glad to see you again, and to thank you for the trouble +you took," Ralph said. "I was too sleepy to do so, last night." + +"Not at all," the officer answered. "However, I am here with a +message from the general, now. He would have asked you to dine with +him but, hearing of the state of your brother, he could not ask you +to leave him for so long a time; but he would be glad if you would +come to see him, for an hour, this evening. He wishes to know how +you managed to pass through the German lines; and he also desires +to be informed, as far as you can give such information, of the +number and position of the enemy. + +"What surprises us all, more than anything, is that the dispatches +are dated the morning of the thirteenth instant; and you were +picked up, by the Farcey, upon the evening of the sixteenth. It +seems incredible that you should have done the distance, and +managed to get through the German lines, in the time. Only one +other messenger has got through; and his dispatches were more than +ten days old, when they reached us, and had been forestalled by +some pigeons. Your news is six days later than any we have +received." + +"We slept, on the night of the thirteenth, at Montargis," Ralph +said; "on the fourteenth at Melun, on the fifteenth at Versailles; +and last night--as you know--here." + +"I must not get the information before the general," the officer +said, with a laugh. "It is half-past six, now. The general dines at +seven. At what time will you be with him? Shall we say nine?" + +"I will be there at nine," Ralph said, "but the general will, I +hope, excuse my coming either in uniform, or full dress of any +kind. I have, of course, nothing with me." + +"General Trochu will of course understand that," the officer said. +"Goodbye." + +Ralph now went back to Percy's room. The doctor had just come. He +was accompanied by another medical man. Ralph stood by, in silent +attention, while the doctor felt Percy's pulse, and asked a few +questions of the nurse. They then gave some orders, and said that +fresh medicine should be sent in, in a quarter of an hour; and that +they would come in again, at ten o'clock, to see how he was going +on. + +"What do you think of him, sir?" Ralph asked, as the doctor came +out. + +"He has a sharp attack of brain fever," the doctor said, "but he is +young, with an excellent constitution. I trust we shall pull him +through. I cannot say anything for certain, at present--till the +fever takes a turn, one way or the other--but I have strong hopes." + +Ralph ordered some dinner to be sent up to his room, for he began +to be keenly awake to the fact that he had eaten nothing, for more +than twenty-four hours. After he had taken the meal, he sat in +Percy's room, until it was time to go to General Trochu's; keeping +himself, however, in a position so as to be hidden by the +curtain--for the sight of him evidently excited the patient. Percy +was, as far as his brother could see, in just the same state as +before: sometimes talking to himself, in disconnected sentences; +sometimes raving wildly, and imagining himself repeating the scenes +through which he had passed, since he left home. + +At nine o'clock, exactly, Ralph sent in his name to the governor; +and was at once shown in. The general had already left the table, +and was smoking in a small study. With him were Generals Ducrot and +Vinoy. General Trochu rose, and shook him cordially by the hand; +presented him to the other generals, and asked him to take a cigar, +and sit down. + +"Generals Ducrot and Vinoy are surprised, I see, at your +appearance, Captain Barclay," General Trochu began. + +"By the way," he interrupted himself, "you are in the Gazette, this +morning, as captain." + +Ralph bowed, and expressed his thanks. + +"No thanks are due at all, Captain Barclay," the old veteran said. +"You have well earned your promotion; and Gambetta--who speaks of +you, I may say, in the highest terms--tells me that he promised you +the step, if you got in. I need not say that, whether he had done +so or not, I should have given it to you. + +"But I was saying, I see Generals Vinoy and Ducrot are +surprised--as I am, myself--at your appearance. Gambetta, in his +letter, twice uses the expression young officers. Once he said, +'these young officers have greatly distinguished themselves, and +have gained the cross of the legion of honor;' and again he says, +'these young officers have volunteered to carry dispatches.' + +"Naturally, my friends were looking for a younger man; and having +only seen you for an instant last night, and not having observed +your features, specially, I confess that I was expecting a younger +man. + +"You see," he said, with a smile, "we can quite understand +Gambetta's calling your brother a young officer, for he is a mere +lad; but one would hardly have applied the same term to yourself." + +Ralph had flushed crimson, at the commencement of this speech. + +"I must apologize very greatly, general," he said, when the +Governor of Paris stopped; "for the mistake is certainly due to my +own forgetfulness." + +His hearers looked surprised. + +"I slept until five o'clock this afternoon," Ralph continued; +"owing, I believe, to a powerful opiate that the doctor you kindly +sent us gave me. Since I woke, my thoughts have been entirely given +to my brother; and the thought of my singular appearance never +entered my mind. I have become so accustomed--in the few days since +I left Tours--to this beard, mustache, and hair, that I never +thought of them, for a moment. Had I thought of it, I could not +have presented myself before you, this evening; for I should not +have presumed to do so, in my present state; and it will take me +some hours of hard work, and not a little pain, before I get rid of +them--for they are fastened on with shoemaker's wax and, I fear, +will not come off, without taking a considerable portion of skin +with them." + +The three generals laughed heartily at Ralph's apology, and their +own mistake; and General Trochu then asked him to give them a full +account of what had happened to him, what he had seen, and what +information he had gained since he left Tours. Ralph told the story +unaffectedly, from beginning to end, and received warm commendation +from his listeners. + +"Your story began at Tours," General Trochu said; "where had you +last been, before that?" + +"We had only arrived, ten days before, from a German prison," Ralph +answered. + +The generals all laughed. + +"You are adventurous fellows, you and your brother," General Vinoy +said. "How did you get taken, and how did you get out?" + +Ralph again told his story. + +"You are cool hands, you Barclays," General Ducrot said. "How did +you get commissions first? Were you at the Polytechnic, or Saint +Cyr?" + +"No, general," Ralph said, modestly, "we had no such advantages. We +won our commissions--and the cross of the Legion--in the Vosges, as +franc tireurs." + +"In which corps?" General Trochu asked, a little sharply. "They +have not done any very great things, the franc tireurs." + +"We were in the franc tireurs of Dijon," Ralph said, a little +proudly. "We several times beat superior forces. We blew up the +bridge of the Vesouze; and should have blown up the tunnel of +Saverne, had it not been for treachery." + +"Yes, yes," General Trochu said; "I remember Gambetta has once or +twice mentioned your corps, especially. You see, we don't hear much +from outside. + +"Let us hear of the affairs you have mentioned. Your account will +give us a better idea of the state of things, in the Vosges, than +fifty dispatches would do." + +Thus asked, Ralph gave an account of the doings of the corps; from +the day they arrived in the Vosges, to the day he had left +them--reduced to a fourth of their original strength. The three +generals sat and smoked their cigars while he spoke, asking +questions occasionally. + +"Very good," General Trochu said, when he finished; and the other +generals cordially assented. + +"But how come you to speak German so well?" General Trochu asked; +"and how was it you understood the English in which the officer +spoke, at Saverne?" + +"We are English," Ralph said; and his hearers gave a simultaneous +start of surprise. "That is to say, our nationality is English, +though we are half French. Our father--an officer in the English +army--was wounded, left the service, married a French lady, and +settled in France for a time. We have been educated partly in +England, Germany, and France; so that we speak the three languages +nearly equally well." + +"Well, Captain Barclay," General Trochu said, "I am almost sorry +that you are not French; for you would be a credit to any country. + +"And now, I think it is time to be going to bed," and he drew out +his watch. "Bless me, it is one o'clock! I had no idea it was so +late. Good night. + +"I will not ask you to call again, for a day or two; as your +brother will naturally occupy your attention, and care. I trust +that I shall soon hear good news of him." + +"Good night, Captain Barclay," the other generals said, cordially, +each giving him their hands; and Ralph made his way across the dark +streets--for there was no gas--back to his hotel. + +He went at once up to Percy's room; and found that, if not +decidedly better, he was at least no worse; and the Sisters of +Charity, who were nursing him, said that the doctors had spoken +hopefully at their last visit. Ralph had intended to sit up all +night, but the nurses assured him that he could be of no use, +whatever; and indeed, that he would be worse than useless, as his +presence excited Percy. They themselves were keeping watch, by +turns. + +Accordingly Ralph--who still felt the effects of the cold +immersion--went off to bed and--in spite of the late hour at which +he had risen--was in a few minutes sound asleep. + + + +Chapter 17: A Balloon Voyage. + + +For eight-and-forty hours, Percy's fever and delirium continued +unabated. At the end of that time, he fell into a long sleep; and +the doctor, as he felt his hand and heard his breathing, told his +brother that he thought the crisis was over, and that he would +awaken, conscious. His prognostication turned out well founded and, +to Ralph's intense delight, Percy knew him when he opened his eyes. +He was weak--weaker than Ralph could have supposed anyone could +possibly have become, after only two days' illness. But he was +fairly convalescent. + +Ralph had scarcely left him, during these two days; and had only +been out once from the hotel. He had sent for a newspaper; to read +for himself, in the Gazette, the promotion which General Trochu had +notified to him and, after doing so, he turned to another portion; +and there, among the lists of decorations given, were the names of +Percy and himself, as promoted to be commanders of the Legion for +having, with extreme gallantry, conveyed dispatches from Tours to +Paris, through the German lines. + +It was after reading this newspaper that Ralph went out. His walk +was not a long one. He went first to a tailor, and ordered two +captain's uniforms; for Percy was so nearly his own size +that--except that his shoulders were an inch less in width--Ralph's +clothes fitted him exactly. He then went to the Palais Royal, where +there are several shops which sell nothing but medals, and +decorations; and bought two ribbons of the commander's rank, in the +legion of honor. + +One terrible morning Ralph spent in a hairdresser's hands and, at +the cost of no little pain, got rid of all that mass of hair which +had so transformed him. The stain was now nearly worn off the skin; +and Ralph was quite surprised, when he again looked at himself in +the glass. + +"I was about beginning to forget," he said, with a laugh, "that I +was a boy, after all." + +The first day of Percy's convalescence, he dozed a good deal; but +the next day he woke, much brighter and better. + +"Look here, Percy," Ralph said, laying the ribbon before him; +"that's better than medicine for you. There is the ribbon of a +commander of the legion of honor. You can safely boast that you are +the youngest who ever wore it; and earned it well, too, old man. +Won't they be pleased, at home? And we are both gazetted as +captains." + +Percy smiled with pleasure. His attack had been a very sharp one; +but so short an illness, however severe, is speedily got over. The +doctor had, that morning, said that all he wanted now was building +up; and that, in a very few days, he would be about. Indeed, Percy +wanted to get up that day; insisting that he was quite strong. When +he once stood up, however, he found he was much weaker than he had +imagined; but sat up in an armchair, all the evening. The next day +he remained up all day and, three days after, he felt strong enough +to go to the governor with Ralph, to ask for their promised places +in the next balloon. + +It was now the twenty-third of November. A carriage was sent for +and, after some difficulty, procured; for carriages were already +becoming scarce, in Paris. They drove up to the entrance, and went +in; but were told by an orderly--who could scarcely conceal his +surprise at these lads, in the uniform of captains of the staff, +and with decorations scarcely ever seen, except upon the breasts of +superior officers--that the general was out. They turned and went +out but, as they reached the steps, a number of officers rode up. + +"There is General Trochu himself, with Vinoy and Ducrot," Ralph +said. + +The generals dismounted, and came up the steps. As they did so +their eyes fell upon the boys, who both saluted. They paused, in +surprise. + +"What masquerade is this, young gentlemen?" General Trochu asked, +sternly. "Allow me to ask how you venture to dress up as captains, +on the staff; and still more how you dare to put on the ribbons of +commanders of the legion of honor? + +"It is no laughing matter," he said, angrily, as Ralph could not +resist a smile. "It is a punishable offence; and your impudence in +showing yourselves off, at my door, makes the matter the more +unpardonable." + +"I see, general, that you do not remember us." + +"I do not, sir," General Trochu said, looking at him sternly. "To +the best of my belief, I never set eyes upon you before." + +The numerous staff of officers--who had accompanied the generals, +and who were scattered thickly around them--gave an angry murmur; +for scarce one among them wore the coveted decoration. + +"I am Ralph Barclay, and this is my brother Percy," Ralph said, +respectfully. + +"Impossible!" the three generals exclaimed, simultaneously; while +there was a general exclamation of surprise, from the officers +round--for the courageous deed of the Barclays, in making their way +through the enemy's lines, had been a general topic of conversation, +and all Paris was familiar with their names. + +"It is so, general," Ralph said, respectfully. "I explained to you, +at the interview that I had the honor of having with you, in the +presence of Generals Ducrot and Vinoy, that it was the false hair +which made all the difference; and that I was but little older than +my brother." + +The generals no longer doubted. They all shook both boys by the +hand. + +"I am astounded," General Trochu said; "astounded that two such +mere boys, as I now see you are, should have accomplished what you +have done. However, courage is of no age; and I do not think that +there are any here,"--and he turned to the officers round him--"who +will not agree with me that these ribbons are worthily placed." + +"No, indeed," was the general reply; and the officers all pressed +round, to shake hands with the boys, as they accompanied the +governor back into the house. + +General Trochu went at once into his private study, and told the +boys to sit down. + +"Now, what can I do for you, boys?" + +"Monsieur Gambetta promised us that he would write, to ask for us +to have places in the first balloon which came out, after we +arrived," Ralph said. "Owing to my brother's illness, I have not +been able to ask, before; but I am now anxious to leave as soon as +possible, especially as the doctor says that change is desirable +for my brother, and that he ought to have at least a month's +nursing, at home, before he gets on horseback again." + +"A balloon will start tomorrow morning," General Trochu said, "but +if you choose to stay here, I will promise you both places upon my +own staff; or upon those of Generals Ducrot or Vinoy--either of +whom would, I am sure, be very glad to receive you." + +"You are very kind, indeed, sir--very kind; and we feel greatly +honored by your offer," Ralph said, gratefully. "Had we any +intention, whatever, of remaining in the army, we should accept it, +with many thanks; but it is not so. We are English; and at the end +of the war we leave France, and go back to live at home. We entered +the ranks with no thought of winning promotion, or favor; but +simply from a sense of duty to the country to which our mother +belonged, and in which we were born. + +"There will, I suppose, be a great battle fought near Orleans, +shortly; and I should like to be present, if possible--and Percy +wants rest. Therefore, general, while thanking you most warmly for +your kindness, we would rather go out." + +"Very well," the general said, "it shall be as you wish. There is +certainly more chance of your seeing stirring service, in the +field, than in here. I do not blame you for your choice. I will +send a note at once to Monsieur Teclier--who has charge of the +balloon--to say that you will accompany him. + +"Goodbye, lads, goodbye; you are fine young fellows, and your +father has every right to be proud of you. Tell him so, from me." + +The boys rose, and bowed; but the general held out his hand, and +shook theirs warmly. + +Upon leaving the room, they found several of the officers of the +staff waiting outside; who begged them to stay, and have a chat +with them. Ralph at once accepted the invitation; upon the +condition that Percy should have a sofa upon which to lie down, for +his brother was looking pale, and faint. They were most warmly +received, in a large drawing room, in which were over a dozen +officers of different ranks. Some bottles of champagne were opened, +cigars were lit and, while Percy lay quietly upon the sofa, Ralph +chatted with the officers; relating, at their earnest request, +several of their adventures in the Vosges, as well as the story of +their entering into Paris. + +His new friends warmly pressed them to stop and dine with them; but +Ralph pleaded that the balloon was to start at five in the morning, +and that he wished Percy to lie down, and get a good night's sleep +before starting. The carriage had been discharged, hours since; but +one of the officers ordered a carriage of General Trochu's to the +door and, after a hearty leave taking, the boys returned to their +hotel. + +"What a curious scene it is, Percy," Ralph said. "Who would think +that we were in a besieged city? Everything looks very much as +usual: the shops are open; people walk about and chat, and smoke, +and drink their coffee or absinthe, just as usual. The only +difference is, that everyone is in some sort of uniform or other. +One does not see a single able-bodied man altogether in civilian +dress; and at night the streets are very dismal, owing to there +being no gas." + +"How much longer do they seem to expect to hold out, Ralph?" + +"Another two months, anyhow; perhaps three, or even more. There +seems to be a large stock of everything, and everyone is put on to +a regular allowance--just enough to live upon, and no more." + +"I seem to have everything I want, Ralph; lots of beef tea, and +soup, and jelly, and so on." + +"Yes, Percy; but you obtain your food from the hospital. The hotel +could not furnish anything of the kind, I can tell you. + +"Here we are. Now you lie down at once, and get to sleep. I will +wake you in plenty of time." + +At ten minutes before the appointed time, the boys arrived at the +Northern Railway Station; which presented a very different appearance +to that which it ordinarily wore. No whistle of locomotives, or +rumble of heavy trains, disturbed the silence of the station. A smell +of varnish pervaded the whole place; and several empty balloons hung +from the roof, undergoing the process of drying. The official--who +had received them at the entrance--conducted them outside the station; +and there, in the light of some torches, a great black mass could be +seen, swaying heavily to and fro. The aeronaut was standing beside it. + +"Here are the gentlemen who accompany you," the officer said to him. + +"How are you, gentlemen?" he said, cheerily. "We have a fine night, +or rather morning; the wind is northerly. I suppose this is your +first ascent?" + +"Yes, indeed," Ralph said, "and I own I hope it will be the last. +Have the dispatches arrived?" + +"No; I have the mail bags, but not the dispatches Hush! There are a +horse's hoofs." + +A few minutes afterwards a railway official brought a note, which +he delivered to Monsieur Teclier. + +"Bah!" he said, in an annoyed tone, "why cannot they be punctual?" + +"What is it, sir?" Ralph asked. + +"A note from the general, to say that the dispatches will not be +ready for an hour. That means an hour and a half; and by that time +it will be light enough to be seen, and we shall have to run the +gauntlet. However, I suppose it cannot be helped. + +"The best thing will be to pass the time as cheerfully as we can; +and that certainly will not be in waiting out here, in this bitter +cold. I have, fortunately, a few bottles of excellent wine in the +car; so I propose, gentlemen, that we go in to a fire, have a glass +of wine, and smoke a cigar, tranquilly." + +Monsieur Teclier gave a few directions concerning the balloon; and +they then adjourned to a work shed near, where a good fire was +blazing, for the use of the men employed in filling the balloon. +Here the hour and a half of waiting passed pleasantly. + +At a quarter to seven, the dispatches arrived. They were hastily +placed in the car, in which everything else had already been +packed. The Barclays took their place, the word was given, "Let go +all!" and, in another instant, the earth seemed to sink away from +under them, and they were rising over the tops of the houses. + +The dawn had already broken, gray and uncertain. Light clouds were +floating overhead. For two or three minutes, not a word was spoken. +The scene was so wonderful--the effect so extraordinary, to the +boys--that they were unable to utter a word. Every instant, the +earth seemed to sink away from them; every instant, their view +extended farther and farther; and the distant fields, villages, and +hills seemed actually to spring into sight. + +"It is wonderful!" Ralph said, at last. + +"Magnificent!" Percy responded. + +"I wonder whether they see us?" Ralph said. + +"We shall soon know," Monsieur Teclier said. "We have crossed the +river, and over the walls already. In another five minutes, we +shall be over their lines." + +There were good telescopes in the car, and the boys directed them +upon the immense panorama below them. + +"What fort is that, immediately beneath us?" Ralph asked. + +"That is Vanves. The village you see there is Chatillon. Look out +now, we may expect visitors, in a minute." + +He had hardly spoken before they heard a faint sound, followed by +others similar. + +"That is musketry," Monsieur Teclier said. "Listen." + +They did listen, and heard a peculiar whistling sound; which seemed +below, around, and about them. + +"That is a whistle of bullets; there is no mistaking them," Ralph +said. + +"We are too low," Monsieur Teclier said. "Throw out that bundle of +newspapers; we will go up a little." + +Ralph did so. + +"What would be the consequence, if a bullet hit the balloon?" + +"No consequence at all, except that a slight escape of gas would +take place. + +"There, we are going into the clouds now, and they will not trouble +any more about us." + +"I thought that we were going to have wind," Ralph said. "The +barometer at the hotel had fallen a good deal; and the clouds, +before we started, looked like it but, now we are once up here, we +do not seem to move." + +In another two minutes, they passed through the layer of clouds, +and the sun shone brightly upon them. They looked down on a sea of +white mist, without a break. + +"There," Ralph continued, "we are entirely becalmed. These clouds +below do not move, nor do we." + +"You cannot tell that," Monsieur Teclier said. "We go in the same +direction, and at the same speed, as the clouds. It is just as if +you were in a boat, at night, upon a rapid stream. If you could see +no banks, or other stationary objects, you might believe yourself +to be standing still; while you were being drifted forward, at the +rate of twenty miles an hour. We may be traveling, now, forty or +fifty miles an hour; and as I agree with you, as to the look of the +clouds before starting, I believe that we are doing so--or, at any +rate, that we are traveling fast--but in what direction, or at what +rate, I have no means, whatever, of knowing. + +"Even if we found that we moved, relatively to the clouds below us, +that would only show that this upper current was somewhat different +from that below." + +"But how are we to find out about it?" Percy asked. + +"We must keep a sharp lookout for rifts in the clouds. If we could +get a peep of the earth, only for a minute, it would be sufficient +to tell us the direction and, to some extent, the speed at which we +are going." + +The boys, in vain, hung over the side. The sea of clouds beneath +them changed, and swelled, and rolled its masses of vapor over each +other; as if a contest of some gigantic reptiles were going on with +them. + +"There must be a great deal of wind, to account for these rapid +changes of form," Percy said, after a long silence. "Suppose you +see nothing of the earth? At what time will you begin to descend?" + +"In five hours from the time of starting, at twenty-five miles an +hour--supposing that the wind holds north--we should fall south of +the Loire, somewhere between Orleans and Bourges. At eleven +o'clock, then, I will let out gas; and go down below the clouds, to +see whereabouts we are. If we cannot recognize the country, or see +any river which may guide us, we shall at least see our direction +and rate of movement; and can either throw out more newspapers, and +keep on for awhile, or descend at once." + +It was just ten o'clock, when Ralph gave a sudden cry. + +"The sea!" he said; "the sea!" + +"Impossible," Monsieur Teclier said, hanging over the side; "I can +see nothing." + +"Nor can I, now," Ralph said; "but I caught a glimpse, just now, +and I will almost swear to its being the sea--though how we could +get there, I don't know." + +"If it is," the aeronaut said, "the wind must be blowing half a +gale, up here; and must have changed entirely, either to the west +or south. It is too serious to hesitate; we must find out if your +eyes have not deceived you." + +So saying, he pulled the valve. + +"Keep a sharp lookout, and look at the compass." + +"There, there!" the boys cried, as the clouds opened again, for an +instant. "It is the sea, and we are going west." + +"Then we are over the Atlantic," Monsieur Teclier said. + +The gas was roaring from the valve above, and the balloon sank +rapidly into the stratum of clouds. For a minute, all was silent; +and then a cry broke from them all. They were a considerable +distance from the coast, and were driving along with great +rapidity. Immediately under the balloon was an island, of no great +size and, beyond that, no land whatever was visible. + +"We must descend on that island, or we are lost. It is our only +chance." + +The valve was still open; and its influence was easily seen, for +the balloon sank rapidly down through the opening of the clouds. + +"We shan't be down in time," the boys exclaimed, simultaneously. + +It was but too evident. The balloon, when the first general view of +the situation had been obtained, was fully a mile high; and was +traveling seaward at the rate of thirty miles an hour. The island, +at the point at which they were crossing, was about three miles +wide; but they had passed fully half a mile over it, before they +obtained a fair view. In five minutes, therefore, they would be +beyond the land again; and they had to fall a mile, in that time. + +"Cut the balloon to pieces," Monsieur Teclier said. "Tear it up. We +must risk everything." + +The boys seized the silk, tore, and hacked at it; as did the +aeronaut. In two minutes, a vast quantity of gas had escaped from +the rents, and the silk was doubled up near the top of the net. + +Illustration: The Sea! The Sea! + +"That will do," Monsieur Teclier said. "We shall be down in time, +now." + +The boys looked over the car and, accustomed as they had been to +face danger, were appalled. + +"It is all up with us, this time," Ralph said; "we shall he +smashed, altogether." + +"No," the aeronaut exclaimed, "the silk is acting as a parachute, +now, and checking the descent. Now, help me to throw out all the +bundles." + +They did so, working silently and with difficulty; for the car was +oscillating so greatly that they were obliged to hold on, by its +side, not to be thrown out. The descent was less rapid than it had +been, but was still sufficiently alarming. + +"Is there a chance?" Ralph said. + +"We shall get off with a shaking," Monsieur Teclier said. "The car +is made of wicker work, and is as elastic as a ball. Drop the +grapnel, now; in another minute, we shall be within holding +distance." + +As the balloon neared the ground, the oscillation became less +violent, and the pace diminished. + +"The grapnel is on the ground," Percy said, looking over. + +"Hold tight, hold tight," Monsieur Teclier said, warningly. "We +shall catch fast on to those trees." + +There was a tearing and rending, a series of tremendous jerks, and +then a bump against the ground; which threw them all into the +bottom of the car, from which the next jerk threw them out on to +the ground. Fortunately the ground was even, and the soil had +lately been plowed; but the shock was so violent that it was some +minutes before either of the boys recovered consciousness. When +they did so, they found that two or three gentlemen were leaning +over them; while several peasants were endeavoring, under the +direction of Monsieur Teclier, to hold the balloon--which was +thrashing the ground with great violence. + +"Thank God, you are all alive," one of the gentlemen said. + +A peasant now came running up, with some water. The gentleman who +had spoken dashed a little in their faces. + +"I do not think any of your limbs are broken," he said. "Do you +feel any pain?" + +"I feel sore and bruised, all over," Ralph said, getting up with +some assistance; "but I don't think that anything serious is the +matter. + +"How are you, Percy?" + +"I don't think I am hurt seriously, Ralph; but I would rather lie +still, for the present." + +Ralph explained to the gentleman--who again leaned over Percy, and +felt his pulse--that his brother had been recently ill, and was +still weak. + +"Ah, that accounts for it," the gentleman said. "I do not think +that he is seriously hurt. I am a doctor; and was luckily out +riding with these gentlemen, when we happened to look up and saw +your balloon falling, like a stone, from the clouds. We thought at +first that you must be dashed to pieces; but when we saw that the +speed was being a little checked, we had some hope, and galloped in +the direction in which it was falling. We were within five hundred +yards when you fell, but we hardly expected to see anyone alive. + +"Do not try to move," he said to Percy. "We sent a man for a +vehicle, and a few necessaries, before we set off ourselves." + +"Where have we fallen?" Ralph asked. "We were astonished to find +ourselves over the sea, for the wind was north when we started." + +"You have fallen upon Belle Isle," the gentleman said, "so the wind +must have changed materially, since you started." + +Monsieur Teclier now came up. + +"I must really congratulate you both," he said to Ralph, "upon your +coolness and presence of mind, in a very frightful position. The +oldest aeronaut could not have shown more nerve." + +"You see," Ralph said, "we have been pretty often in danger, now; +and although the sort of danger was new, the degree of danger was +not." + +The gentlemen smiled a little, as Ralph spoke. The Barclays had +come out in plain clothes, bringing their uniform in the balloon +for, in the event of the balloon having fallen among the Germans, +it was of course essential that they should be able to get off, +unobserved. They therefore looked mere lads; and their talk, of +having passed through as great a danger as that which had just made +the spectators of it feel faint and sick only to witness, appeared +to be a mere bit of exaggerated braggadocio. + +A light cart now arrived, in which some mattresses had been laid; +some bandages, and other surgical necessaries had also been added, +together with a bottle of brandy. + +"Fortunately we do not want any of these, except the brandy," the +surgeon said. "A little of that will do you all good. + +"Now a few strips of plaster,"--this was to Monsieur Teclier, whose +face was cut a good deal--"and then you will do, till you get to +the town." + +The three voyagers were now helped into the cart; for they were all +very stiff and greatly shaken, and were glad to stretch themselves +out on the mattresses, covered over with blankets, until they +reached the little town. Here they were met by the whole +population, cheering lustily. Another wagon had been sent off for +the balloon; and a number of people now set out to search for the +bags of dispatches, etc. which had been thrown out during the last +part of the descent. The Sous Prefect at the island placed his +house at once at their disposal. But they said that they would +rather go to a hotel, first, and take a hot bath--which the doctor +recommended them--but should be very happy to breakfast with him, +after that. Before going to the hotel, however, Monsieur Teclier +sent off a dispatch to Tours; saying that he had arrived at Belle +Isle with news from Paris, at a quarter to seven; and that, at that +time, everything was going on well. + +He next inquired as to means of reaching the mainland. The wind was +dead off shore, and a sailing vessel would have taken a long time +to make the passage. However, there was a small steamer in harbor; +and the Sous Prefect took upon himself to engage that the fires +should be lighted, at once, and that they should cross in two or +three hours. + +After reaching the hotel they were examined carefully by the +surgeon; who pronounced that no harm, whatever, had been done to +them, and that they had escaped with a few contusions, and a good +shaking. + +The breakfast was quite an ovation. All the principal people of the +place were assembled; and when Monsieur Teclier entered, followed +by the young Barclays, the gentlemen clapped their hands and +cheered, and the ladies waved their handkerchiefs. After breakfast, +the Sous Prefect proposed an adjournment into the drawing room; and +now the voyagers each became the center of a knot of questioners as +to the voyage. + +Monsieur Teclier--as was natural--conversed with the Sous Prefect +and other leading men of the town, while their wives and daughters +gathered round the lads. Ralph had given his name as Barclay, and +had stated that Percy was his brother; but he had said nothing as +to their being in the army, as he wished to avoid the oft-repeated +tale which the declaration of his rank was sure to necessitate. He +had even said a word to Monsieur Teclier, begging him to say the +Messieurs Barclay, instead of Captains Barclay--unless, of course, +he were actually questioned upon the matter. Percy was allowed to +sit in an easy chair, unmolested--for he was quite done up--and +Ralph talked for both, relating many details of their journey from +Paris; and the ladies examined him most minutely as to his +sensation, and especially whether he was not horribly frightened. + +Among those standing in a group round the young Barclays was a +lieutenant of Mobiles; who evidently by no means approved of the +attention, and interest which they excited among the ladies; and +who had made several sarcastic remarks, during the course of the +narrative. Presently a servant came in and, walking up to Monsieur +Teclier, said that two swords had been picked up; had they fallen +from the balloon? + +"Yes," Monsieur Teclier said, "they belong to those gentlemen." + +The servant came up to Ralph, and told him that the swords had been +picked up. Ralph at once drew out a five-franc piece, and asked the +servant to give it to the man who had found them. + +"Ah," said the officer of Mobiles, with a scarcely concealed sneer, +"so you have come out from Paris to serve? I should have imagined +that there were plenty of opportunities to distinguish yourselves, +there. However, you must have had good interest, to get places in a +balloon." + +"We have fair interest," Ralph said calmly, "as apparently you +have, yourself. Each of us have, you see, used our interest in the +way most pleasing to us. We have used ours to enable us to go with +the army in the field, instead of being forced to remain inactive +in Paris. You, upon your part, have used yours to get away from the +army in the field, and to remain inactive, here." + +These words were spoken with such an air of boyish frankness, and +an apparent innocence of any desire to say anything unpleasant, +that everyone within hearing was ready to burst with laughter at +Ralph's hit--which happened to be thoroughly well deserved. + +The officer turned white; and would have burst out into a violent +answer, had not a couple of friends at his elbow begged him to +restrain himself. The boy evidently meant nothing; besides, he was +only a boy, and what could be done with him? Besides which, again, +one of them put in, though he was only a boy, he looked an awkward +customer. This latter argument weighed more with the lieutenant +than any other. + +Ralph was not yet seventeen, and looked much younger than a French +lad of the same age would do; but in point of size he was +considerably taller than the officer of Mobiles, and his broad +shoulders gave promise of unusual strength. There was, too, a look +of fearlessness and decision about his face which marked him +emphatically as an "awkward customer." Seeing this, the lieutenant +burst into a constrained fit of laughter; and said that it was +"very good--really very good, for a boy." + +Everyone else was so occupied in the endeavor to stifle their +laughter that the lieutenant again took up the part of questioner. + +"I suppose, young gentleman, that you come from Saint Cyr or the +Polytechnic; although I should hardly imagine that you have +completed your studies, in either of them?" + +"I have not the advantage of having been at either of the military +academies," Ralph said quietly. "Have you?" + +Again there was a laugh and, by this time, most of those in the +room had gathered round. + +"May I ask to which arm of the service you belong?" the officer +asked, with difficulty keeping his temper. + +"You may ask, certainly; and I have no objection to answer," Ralph +said. "My brother and myself both belong to the general staff." + +The officer looked surprised. + +"Have you served already, sir, or has your service yet to +commence?" + +"I have seen some little service already," Ralph said. + +"May I ask what general has had the benefit of your assistance?" +the lieutenant said, with an affectation of politeness. + +At this moment the Sous Prefect pushed forward. + +"Silence, sir!" he said to the officer. "There has been too much of +this. These gentlemen have performed a great service to France, and +are my guests; and I look upon it as a personal attack upon +myself." + +"Excuse me, sir," Ralph said, rising from his seat for the first +time. "I am grateful to you, for your interference in my behalf; +but I can make no claim, upon the present occasion, to have +rendered any service to France. I had nothing to do with the +dispatches, nothing to do with the balloon. I came out as a +passenger, upon my private desire and pleasure, at the risk of +course of being killed. Undoubtedly I nearly was killed; and I look +upon the entertainment that you have given us as a kind +congratulation upon our not having broken our necks. + +"Kindly, then, permit me to answer this officer for myself. I think +I can hold my own." + +The Sous Prefect shrugged his shoulders; to signify that, in that +case, he washed his hands of the whole business. + +"Now, sir," Ralph said, "I will answer the question. The general +upon whose staff my brother and myself served was General +Cambriels." + +The officer shrugged his shoulders. + +"Since that time," Ralph said, more sternly than he had yet spoken, +"my brother and myself have had the offer of posts upon the staffs +of General Trochu, General Ducrot, and General Vinoy." + +"Oh, come now," the lieutenant said, with a laugh of derision, +"that is a little too strong. Imagine a scramble upon the part of +Trochu, Ducrot, and Vinoy for the services of these very young +officers." + +This time the speaker had the laugh with him, for no one could +believe that Ralph could be speaking the truth. Ralph grew a little +pale. + +"Monsieur Teclier," he said, "do me the favor to introduce my +brother and myself to this lieutenant of Mobiles, in due form." + +The matter had now become so serious that there was a dead hush in +the room, while Monsieur Teclier advanced. He had once or twice +already made a motion of coming forward, to take Ralph's part; but +a motion from the latter had arrested him. He was aware of the +furore which the gallant and successful expedition of the Barclays +had created, in Paris; and he had been greatly struck and pleased +by the calmness of the boys in a great--and to them altogether +new--peril. He now advanced slowly. + +"May I ask your name, sir, and regiment?" he said to the officer. + +"Lieutenant Desmaret, of the Mobiles of Vienne," the officer said, +frowning. + +"Lieutenant Desmaret of the Mobiles of Vienne, I beg to introduce +you to--" + +"No, sir," the officer said, passionately, "you introduce them to +me, not me to them. The inferior rank is introduced to the +superior." + +"I know perfectly well what I am doing, sir, and require no lesson +from you," Monsieur Teclier said, quietly. "I repeat, I introduce +you--Lieutenant Desmaret, of the Mobiles of Vienne--to Captain +Ralph Barclay, and Captain Percy Barclay, staff officers, and +commanders of the legion of honor." + +There was a dead silence of surprise throughout the room. + +"Is it possible?" the Sous Prefect said, coming forward again, +"that these gentlemen are the Captains Barclay, of whom the Paris +papers--which we received three days since--were full, as having +passed through the German lines, and having swam the Seine at +night, under fire? They had previously been decorated for great +acts of bravery, in the Vosges; and were now made commanders of the +Legion. + +"Is it possible that you are those officers, gentlemen?" + +"It is so, monsieur," Ralph said. "We had the good fortune to +distinguish ourselves but, as we did not wish to make ourselves +conspicuous by new uniforms, and new ribbons, we have put aside our +uniforms until required for service; and asked Monsieur Teclier to +be silent upon the subject. Of course, we could not guess that, +upon our way, we should meet so rude and unmannerly a person as +Monsieur the Lieutenant of the Mobiles of Vienne." + +The lieutenant stamped his feet furiously. + +"You shall answer to me, sir," he said, "for this insult." + +"Stop, sir," Ralph said, in a steady voice--which silenced those +who were about to interfere. "You have asked me questions, with +rare freedom. I have answered them. I am now going to give you my +opinion of you, and my advice to you, equally freely. + +"If you mean, by what you have said, that you are going to +challenge me to a duel, I tell you at once that I shall not accept +it. I have, sir," and he raised his head proudly, "proved my +courage; and France has recognized it, in the rank and honor she +has given me. We English--for I am English--do not fight duels. + +"But I will make an exception. When you, Monsieur Desmaret, come to +me decorated as I am; or having, in any signal way, proved your +courage and devotion to France, I will meet you. At present I see +that you--an officer in the French army, well in health--are +staying here in idleness, instead of being in the field. Go and +fight the enemies of France, first, Monsieur Desmaret; and after +that talk, if you like, about fighting her friends." + +There was a loud exclamation of applause and satisfaction, at these +words, from those who had been looking on at this unpleasant scene; +and the Sous Prefect warmly shook Ralph by the hand. + +"Well said, Captain Barclay; well said, indeed. I believe I may say +that everyone here agrees with you, entirely. There are too many +officers continually absent from the army upon 'private affairs;' +and those of Monsieur Desmaret have taken longer to arrange than +usual, for he has been staying here for five weeks now. + +"However," he said, significantly, "he will hardly prolong his stay +in the island. + +"Enough upon that subject," he said, as Monsieur Desmaret left the +room, pale and furious. "I am glad--I am proud, sir--to make the +acquaintance of yourself and your brother; and I can really, at +heart, feel grateful to that fellow, for having forced you to +declare who you are. Had he not done so, you would have left +without our knowing that we had you among us." + +There was now quite an ovation to the boys. The ladies, especially, +would hardly conceive that it was possible that these quiet-looking +young fellows had performed feats of such daring. They now begged +to hear the details of the adventures but, at this moment, word was +brought that steam was up, and the vessel ready to start; and as +Monsieur Teclier was most anxious to get on, and as Percy was quite +done up, Ralph was glad to seize the excuse, and to make his +apologies for leaving at once. The Sous Prefect, all the breakfast +party, and a large proportion of the population of the little place +accompanied them thence to the landing place; and then, amidst +hearty cheering, the little steamer--carrying the voyagers, the +dispatches, and the remains of the balloon--started for the +mainland. + + + +Chapter 18: A Day Of Victory. + + +After traveling all night, the Barclays arrived at Tours at ten +o'clock, on the morning of the day after that upon which they had +left Belle Isle. At the station they said adieu to Monsieur +Teclier; who went at once to Gambetta, with the dispatches; while +the Barclays turned away to Colonel Tempe's lodgings and, to their +great surprise as well as delight, found him in. + +The colonel gave quite a shout of joy, when he saw them. + +"Ah, my brave boys, my brave boys, I am glad to see you," and he +took them in his arms, and kissed them as heartily and as earnestly +as if he had been their father. + +"I am glad to see you," he repeated, wiping his eyes with his +handkerchief. "I was sure you would do it. I never really +doubted--I told Gambetta it was as good as done--but I could not +help being nervous, horribly nervous; and when the news came, five +days ago, by the balloon which left three days after you got in, I +almost lost my head. I laughed, I cheered, I shook everyone by the +hand--ma foi, I don't know what I did, I was so pleased. + +"Your Irishman was the funniest thing. He was not surprised, or +pleased, or even interested. I explained to him over and over +again, thinking he did not understand; but he only shook his head +and said, in his strange English: + +"'Sure, colonel, I never doubted them for a moment. Aren't they +clever enough to decaive the ould gintleman, himself? It was as +sartin as peas is peas that they would slip in, somehow; and if +they did get into a scrape, that they were the boys for getting +themselves out of it. It's the coming out I am afraid of.' + +"I looked surprised, naturally enough, and he went on: + +"'And doesn't your honor know that they are talking of coming out +in a balloon? Only to think of it, colonel, flying through the +clouds, shut up in a big ball of silk! It's just flying in the face +of Providence. What's the use of scheming, or of courage? You can't +decaive a cloud, though it's as aisy as dancing to take in a +German. When you tell me, colonel, that they're safe out of the +balloon; then I'll shout, as loud as you like.' + +"Yesterday, when the telegram from Teclier came--saying that he had +fallen in Belle Isle, had had a narrow escape of being driven into +the sea, but had avoided that by running the risk of breaking his +neck--and mentioned that you were with him; and had, like himself, +escaped with a few bruises, Tim went nearly out of his mind with +joy. He has been cleaning his sword and accouterments, this +morning. + +"I am off tomorrow, and you are only just come in time to see the +fighting. + +"But you are looking ill, Percy; far too ill for service, just at +present." + +"Yes, he has been very ill," Ralph said. "He had a touch of brain +fever, the night we got into Paris; and was delirious for two days. +He has picked up quickly, but that balloon descent was not the +thing for an invalid. The doctor in Paris ordered a month, at +least, of absolute rest; and has given him a sick certificate." + +"He needs rest, certainly," Colonel Tempe said, "but he cannot go +home, at present. The Prussians hold Dijon in considerable +strength. There are far too many people in the town who have heard +of your connection with the franc tireurs. Some spy or other would +be certain to peach." + +"Yes," Ralph assented, "we have been talking it over, and quite +agree that Percy could not go back as--although he would willingly +run the risk, himself--it would bring such serious consequences +upon them at home, if he were found there, that he has determined +to go down to Nice for a while, and rejoin as soon as he gains +strength again." + +"Yes," Colonel Tempe said, "but above all things, do not let him be +in a hurry. + +"You have gone through an immense deal, Percy; and have done a +great deal more than your share for France, and have gained great +honor and credit. Be content with that. You might ruin your +constitution for life, by further exertions." + +"But about yourself colonel, where are you going?" + +"I am starting, tomorrow, to join General Chanzy's staff." + +"I have not heard his name before," Ralph said. + +"He commands the Sixteenth Corps. He has not had much opportunity +yet, but he is a good soldier. If you like, Ralph, I will go with +you at once, to Freysinet, and get you attached with me." + +"Thank you very much, colonel. I should like it of all things." + +"Come along, then; Freysinet is in his office." + +Percy accompanied them, to obtain a signature to his leave of +absence, and left next day for the south. An hour later, Colonel +Tempe and Ralph were in the train, upon their way to Orleans--Tim, +again in his hussar uniform, and half wild with delight--being, +with Colonel Tempe's orderly, in charge of the horses. + +Colonel Tempe, as Ralph was not mounted, had offered to lend him +one of his own; but Ralph had refused it, unless the colonel would +sell it, as he said he should be always afraid of getting the +animal shot, unless it was his own. Seeing that Ralph was +determined upon this score, the colonel had reluctantly agreed to +take the sum he had paid for the horse. Ralph's only other purchase +in Tours was a fur greatcoat. + +"And now, colonel," Ralph said, when the train had started, "we +have time to talk--tell me, what chances have we of success?" + +"Between ourselves, Barclay," Colonel Tempe said, "I do not think that +our prospects are brilliant. In my opinion, Aurelles de Paladine--or +rather Gambetta, for it was he who ordered the advance--made an immense +mistake in attacking Von der Tann when he did. Of course, he drove him +back, and took Orleans; but what was the use of that? Absolutely nothing. +He was not strong enough to push his advantage; but the movement served +to draw the attention of the Germans to his force, and Prince Frederick +Charles--who was marching south from Metz--has been hurried towards +Orleans, and has now united his forces with those of Von der Tann and +the Duke of Mecklenburg; so that, although we have received large +reinforcements--for the whole of the army of the east is up, now--the +Germans have been equally reinforced, and are quite as strong as we are. + +"We ought never to have attacked, until we were ready to follow up +our advantage at once. It was nothing short of madness; yet what +can you expect, with a civilian acting as commander-in-chief? I +believe that we shall make a tough fight of it, but I can hardly +hope that our new levies can prove a match for the veterans of +Frederick Charles." + +"When do we begin, do you think?" + +"In two or three days at latest. You have not seen a great battle +yet, Barclay." + +"No," Ralph said, "nor shall I see much of it, now; for the country +is so perfectly flat that it will be impossible to get anything +like a general view of it. Do you know, colonel, I feel a good deal +more comfortable than I did during my last journey between Tours +and Orleans; for although I thought that we should manage, somehow, +to get through into Paris; still, I could not conceal from myself +that it was a very serious undertaking. + +"How bitterly cold it is." + +"It is, indeed," Colonel Tempe assented. "Being upon the staff we +shall, no doubt, manage to get a roof of some sort over our heads; +but for the sentries it must be terrible. The tents d'abri--if the +men can scrape away the snow, and get an armful of straw to lie +on--are snug enough; the men lie close together, and share their +blankets." + +Half an hour after arriving at Orleans, Colonel Tempe and Ralph +were riding out upon the north road; followed by Tim Doyle, and the +colonel's orderly. The frost was keen, but the afternoon was bright +and clear; and as they cantered along the road--beaten flat and +hard, with the enormous traffic--their spirits rose, and Ralph +regretted that Percy was not there to share in his enjoyments. + +Colonel Tempe shook his head when the wish was mentioned. + +"No, no, Barclay, it is far better as it is. You are young enough, +in all conscience, for this iron work of war; your brother has done +far more than a man's share already, and will find it difficult +enough to go back as a schoolboy. He has escaped thus far, almost +by a miracle; but he was looking shaken, and worn. I am glad that +he is not here." + +Three hours' riding took them to the little village near which +General Chanzy was quartered. The Sixteenth Corps lay to the left +of the French army, facing the Germans; who held the line of +villages of Guillonville, Terminiers, and Conier. It was already +dark when they arrived. The general's quarters were in a chateau, a +quarter of a mile distant from the village. When they reached it, +they were at once shown in; and found General Chanzy leaning over a +map, which he was trying to examine by the light of a solitary +candle. + +"How are you, colonel?" he asked, shaking hands with him +heartily--for they were old friends. "I am very glad you have come. +There is plenty to do, and few to do it; at least, very few indeed +who know anything about their work. + +"Who have you here?" + +"Allow me to introduce Captain Barclay, general. Freysinet has +attached him to your staff. He served with me in the Vosges, +distinguished himself greatly, and won his lieutenancy and the +Cross. Since then he has been into Paris. No doubt you saw the +account of his swimming the Seine, with his brother." + +"Of course, of course," General Chanzy said, warmly. "I am very +glad to have you with me, Captain Barclay. You will not be long +before you are at work, for the affair is just beginning. I have +just got news that there has been some sharp fighting, today, at +Beaurre la Rolande." + +"With what results, sir?" Colonel Tempe asked. + +"We gained a great deal of ground, in the morning," General Chanzy +said; "but they brought up reinforcements, and no material +advantage is claimed. + +"And now," the general went on, "as to quarters, you must shift for +yourselves. Beds are out of the question; but you will find some +empty rooms upstairs and, fortunately, there is a little straw in +the stable. The outhouses are extensive, and you will be able to +get your horses under shelter. I should advise you to see about +them, at once. In an hour we shall have something to eat. I cannot +call it dining. + +"Captain Barclay, will you kindly see to these matters? I shall be +glad to go through this map, at once, with Colonel Tempe." + +Ralph at once obeyed the order, much pleased with his new +commander. General Chanzy was a man to inspire confidence in all +those who served under his orders. He was a young man, for a +general; but was very bald, and had a quiet and thoughtful air +which made him look older than he was. He was a man of few words; +and had a sharp, steady look which seemed to master, at once, the +important points of anything that was said to him. When he smiled, +the whole of his face seemed to light up. + +"Just the man to serve under," Ralph thought to himself. "Cool, +self possessed, and with an eye that will see a weak point in a +moment. + +"Is my orderly still at the door?" he asked a soldier in the +passage. + +"Yes, sir; two orderlies, with the four horses." + +"Can you get me a light of any sort?" Ralph asked. "I want to go +round to the stables, and get the horses somewhere in shelter." + +"I will get you a lantern, sir," the man said. "But I fear that you +will find the place all crowded; but of course, you can turn some +of them out." + +The orderly accompanied Ralph, with a lantern, across the yard; Tim +and Colonel Tempe's orderly following. Round the yard were many +cavalry horses, tied to pegs; driven in close by the wall of the +stables, so as to give them some little shelter from the intense +cold. The poor animals stood, side touching side, for warmth. + +The orderly opened the door of one of the stables; and Ralph +entered, and looked round by the light of the lantern. The horses +were ranged together in the stalls, as closely as they could stand; +while the rest of the area was completely covered with cavalry +soldiers, some sitting up smoking and talking, others already +wrapped in their cloaks and stretched at full length. + +A sergeant, seeing the marks of Ralph's rank, at once rose to his +feet and saluted. + +"I have two horses here, sergeant; my own, and one of Colonel +Tempe's. General Chanzy told me I should find room here, but it +does not look like it." + +"I will turn two of these horses out, sir," the sergeant said. + +"Is there no other place?" Ralph asked. + +"They are all as full as this, sir." + +"There is a little shed, down at the end of the garden," one of the +men said. "I noticed it this afternoon. The door was locked. I +looked in, and it seemed a cow shed. I don't know whether anyone is +there. I will go down with you, sir, and show you the way, if you +like." + +The shed was soon found, and the soldier forced the door open with +his sword bayonet. The place had, as he supposed, been a cow shed; +but the walls and roof were in good order, and the ground hard. + +"This will do first rate, your honor," Tim said. "There is room for +all four horses, if they squeeze a bit; and for Jacques here, and +myself. I suppose, your honor, there will be no harm in knocking up +some of this woodwork, to make a bit of a fire? It's too dark to +look for sticks, tonight; and they would be so damp, from the snow, +that the smoke would choke the bastes entirely--to say nothing of +us." + +"Well, under the circumstances, Tim, I agree with you; but don't do +more damage than you can help, and only make enough fire to make +the water hot for coffee, and so on. You will be warm enough, here, +with the four horses. You must go and see if you can get them some +forage." + +"But how about your honor's and the colonel's dinner?" Tim asked. +"I haven't drawn rations; but I have got plenty of bread and meat, +in the haversack. I got them at Tours, for I thought there wouldn't +be much to be had here." + +"Thank you for thinking of it, Tim, but we dine with the general. +When you have got the horses comfortable, and lit your fire, one of +you bring up our cloaks to the house. Keep the horses' saddles on, +with loosened girths. We may want them suddenly, at any moment of +the night." + +The next morning, General Chanzy said to Ralph: + +"I should recommend you, Captain Barclay, to spend an hour studying +this map; and getting up, from these lists, the exact position of +our forces. When you think you have mastered them, ride through the +whole of the positions occupied by the corps and, without exposing +yourself, gain as good an idea as you can of the country beyond. +Tomorrow you may have to ride straight to certain points, with +orders; and it may save important time if you are thoroughly +acquainted with the ground, and position." + +After a couple of hours' study of the staff map, so as to know +every little by-lane and hamlet, for ten miles on either side, +Ralph mounted his horse and went for a long ride. When he returned, +Colonel Tempe told him that General Chanzy was gone over to General +D'Aurelle's quarters, to arrange the details; and that the attack +was to take place the next day. + +At five o'clock the general returned; and Colonel Tempe and the +chief of his staff were occupied with him, for two hours, in +drawing up the specific orders for each corps. Colonel Tempe had +not been out, all day; and he therefore offered his horse to Ralph, +in order that Ralph's own might be fresh for the next day. + +Four staff officers set off in various directions with the +dispatches; and Ralph congratulated himself upon having been upon +the ground he was now traversing once before that day as, even with +that previous acquaintance, it was hard work to find the way +through the darkness, from the snow altering the general appearance +and apparent distance of each object. Thanks, however, to his ride +of the morning, he reached the various corps to which he was +dispatched without any serious mistakes in his way; and got back to +headquarters by eleven o'clock. + +Tim was waiting up for him. + +"Sure, your honor, and it's a mighty cold night. I've got a pot of +coffee on the boil in the stables." + +"Thank you, Tim. I will just go in and make my report to the +general, and then go off to bed. Bring the coffee into my room. We +shall be up early, for we fight tomorrow." + +"Do we, now?" Tim said, admiringly. "And it's about time; for we +should be all frozen into skeletons, if we were to wait here doing +nothing much longer. Bad luck to the weather, says I." + +At ten o'clock the next morning the French troops were in motion, +the objects of their attack being the villages of Guillonville, +Terminiers, and Conier. The country was extremely flat and, for an +hour, they saw no bodies of the enemy. A few videttes, only, were +seen. These galloped off hastily, the moment they caught sight of +the heavy masses of the French debouching from the wood. Ralph was +riding, with the rest of the staff, behind the general. + +"That is Terminiers," Colonel Tempe said, pointing to a house or +two at a distance, on the plain. + +As he spoke, a puff of smoke came from the houses. + +"There is the first shell," was the general exclamation. + +In another instant the missile burst near some infantry, at two +hundred yards to the right. + +"Take orders to that battery, there, to take position on that +little eminence to the left there, Captain Barclay. Tell them to +keep the guns a little back among the trees, and to open sharply +upon Terminiers." + +It was just twelve o'clock now and, in five minutes, there was a +roar of cannon along the whole length of both lines. For half an +hour the combat continued a mere artillery duel. The shells fell in +all directions; cutting the dry branches from the trees, tearing up +the ground, and leaving deep black gashes in the white snow; +crashing through a wall or, occasionally, exploding among the +troops. + +"Their fire is slackening a little," General Chanzy said. "It is +time to be pushing forward. + +"Lieutenant Porcet, take my orders to the colonel of that regiment +of Mobiles to advance at once, covered by skirmishers. + +"Captain Barclay, order that Line regiment to support. + +"Captain Maillot, order the artillery to concentrate their fire +upon the village, and to advance by batteries." + +The orders were carried out, and the Mobiles advanced to within +five hundred yards of the village. The musketry fire was now +tremendous, and the Mobiles wavered. The Germans were entrenched in +the gardens and walled enclosures of the village. Every wall, every +house was loopholed; and rough barricades had been erected, to fill +up the breaks in the walls. + +General Chanzy was sitting on horseback, a short distance in the +rear of the fighting. Mounted officers rode up and left again, +every moment, with news of the battle going on near the other +villages. + +"Ride up and order the Mobiles to lie down, Captain Barclay; then +tell the colonel of the Line to bring his troops up in line with +them. Let them lie down, also. + +"Tempe, have the two reserve batteries of artillery brought up, at +full speed, to silence that battery in the wood to the left of the +village. Its fire crosses the ground we have to pass over." + +Ten minutes more of continuous cannonading, and then it was +apparent that the Prussian fire was weakening. + +"Now, Barclay, tell them to charge, at the double." + +Ralph set spurs to his horse but, just as he reached the troops, a +shell exploded just under his horse. Ralph heard a crash; felt a +shock, and a whirling through the air; and then fell heavily upon +the ground. Believing he was dangerously wounded, he made no effort +to get to his feet; but sat up and shouted to the colonel of the +Mobiles, who were not thirty yards from him: + +"The Mobiles and Line are to charge, at the double, and to carry +the village with the bayonet." + +The Mobiles had flinched a little before, as they had advanced with +the deadly fire of shot and shell; but they did not flinch now, and +leaping upon their feet, with a cry of "Vive la France!" the +Mobiles and Line soldiers literally made a race of it for the +village. + +Ralph, after having given his message, lay back again, with a sort +of bewildered sensation. A minute afterwards he heard a rapid +galloping; and Colonel Tempe rode up, followed by Tim Doyle. + +"Are you badly hurt, my dear boy?" the former exclaimed, as he +leaped from his horse. "The general himself asked me to come, and +see after you." + +"I don't quite know, colonel," Ralph answered. "I feel, at present, +as if my head was knocked in, and my legs shot off." + +"You had a tremendous shake," said Colonel Tempe--who was, with +Tim, by this time kneeling beside him--"and your horse is blown +almost to pieces; but I don't think, as far as I can see, at +present, that you are hit anywhere. Here, take a sip of brandy. It +will bring you round; you are stunned a little, you know. + +"There, you are better now," he said; as Ralph, having drunk a +little brandy, sat up and looked round. + +"I am all right, I think, colonel; don't stay any longer. Tim will +wait here. I don't think I was stunned, else I could not have given +the order. No, I imagine I had a near escape of breaking my neck. + +"Please, don't wait. I shall be all right again, in five minutes. I +will take Tim's horse, and join you again. Tim will pick up a +musket--there are plenty about--and do a little fighting on his own +account." + +Colonel Tempe jumped on his horse, and rode off. In a minute or +two, Ralph was able to mount Tim's horse, and ride slowly up to the +village, where a heavy musketry fire was still going on; but as no +shell or shot were now coming in the direction in which Ralph was, +it was evident that the French had taken the position, and had +opened fire upon the retreating Germans. The fight still raged, +both to the right and left; but in another quarter of an hour it +slackened also, here, and the three villages were all in the hands +of the French. + +In a quarter of an hour, Ralph felt quite himself again and, seeing +one of his fellow staff officers gallop up, he asked him where he +could find the general. + +"He is at Guillonville. But he will be here, in a few minutes. The +advance is to continue. We are to carry the villages of Monneville, +Villepani, and Faverolles." + +In half an hour, the troops were again moved forward; but this time +the resistance was more obstinate than before, the Prussians having +received reinforcements. Hour after hour the fight continued. The +short winter day faded, and the gathering darkness was favorable to +the assailants and, at half-past five, they carried the villages by +assault. + +The scene was a wild one. It was perfectly dark, save from the +incessant flashes of rifle and cannon. In the streets of the +village men fought, hand to hand. Some of the Germans, taking +refuge in the houses, refused to surrender. Others threw down their +arms, and cried for quarter. Shouts, screams, curses, cheers, the +explosion of firearms and the clash of steel mingled, in one wild +and confusing din. When it ceased, the village remained in the +hands of the French; and the Prussians retreated, sullenly, into +the darkness. + +There was no rest for the staff, for hours--they were galloping +about, carrying orders--but at last Ralph returned to Villepani, at +which village General Chanzy had his headquarters. At the door of +the cottage which was pointed out, as that in which the general +was, Tim was waiting. + +"Faith, your honor, if this is war, I've had enough of it." + +"What is it, Tim?" + +"What is it, your honor! Here have we been fighting all day, and +not a blessed thing to eat or to drink. No one knows what became of +the wagons; and here we are, without as much as a biscuit to +ate--and in such weather as this, too; and another battle in the +morning." + +"Ay, Tim, it's bad enough, but think of the thousands of poor +fellows lying wounded, and freezing to death, on the snow." + +"I do think of them, Mister Ralph; and I've been at work, ever +since we got in here, carrying the poor creatures in from the +gardens and fields. There is not a house here that's not full, from +the top to the bottom. + +"Have you lost the wallet off my saddle, your honor?" + +"No, Tim; why should I do that?" + +"I don't know why you should, sir, but I have been making up my +mind that you would, all along; either that you would have had it +shot off, or that you'd throw it away to aise the horse. Now, we +shall do." + +"Why, what's in the wallet, Tim?" + +"Just a big chunk of bread, your honor It was left on the table +when you had breakfast, this morning; and I said to myself, it may +be useful before night, and so just slipped it into the wallet." + +In another minute the bread was taken out, and cut into two +portions. + +"I would not eat it all tonight, Tim, if I were you," Ralph said. +"It is not by any means too large for supper, but a mouthful in the +morning will be a great comfort. I suppose there is no chance of +getting anything for the horse?" + +"Trust me, your honor One of the first things I did, when the +firing was over, was to pop into a stable and to get a big armful +of hay; and take it out and hide it away, under a hedge. It was +lucky I did; for the minute afterwards we could not have got a +handful, if we had offered a Napoleon for it." + +"Where are you going to sleep, Tim?" + +"Under that same hedge, Mister Ralph. The horse always lies down; +and he's so tired he won't break the rule, tonight; so I'll give +him half the hay for his supper and, when he's laid down, I'll put +the rest between him and the hedge, and roll myself up in my cloak +and--what with the cloak, and the horse, and the hedge, and the +hay, not to mention the supper--I shall be as warm as a lord; and +it's a comfort to think that there will be something to eat, both +for the baste and myself, in the morning." + +"Well, good night then, Tim." + +"Good night, your honor." + +If Tim Doyle slept, there were not many of his comrades that did, on +that night. The cold was fierce, in the extreme; and those who could +obtain wood of any kind made fires, and crouched over them. Others +lay on the ground, and huddled together for warmth. Others dragged +their feet wearily backwards and forwards. Many and deep were the +curses poured out upon the intendance--or commissariat--whose utter +incompetence, throughout the war, was one of the great reasons of +the continuous bad fortune of the French. + +When Ralph entered the room, he was saluted by a variety of voices. +The only light was a dim lantern. The room was half full of +officers; some dozing in corners, others sitting round the table, +smoking. + +"Where is the general?" + +"He has got a room, about half the size of this, for the use of +himself, Tempe, and the chief of the staff. They are writing; and +will go on writing all night, I expect. These are the only two +rooms not full of wounded in the whole village. + +"You had a narrow escape, today. We have had our share of +casualties. Poor Maillet and Porcet are both killed, and we have +three wounded. Were you hurt at all?" + +"No," Ralph said; "but I was tremendously shaken, and feel stiff +all over. I will lie down by the wall, here, and get a few hours' +sleep." + +And so ended the 1st of December. + + + +Chapter 19: Down At Last. + + +At half-past eight o'clock the next morning horsemen came dashing +in, with the news that the Germans were advancing in force. +Stiff--many half frozen, and half starved--it was an absolute +relief, to the men, to have some break to the monotony of cold and +hunger. They were already assembled under arms and, in a few +minutes, the artillery upon both sides was at work. + +"I fear you will see that we shall be beaten, today," Colonel Tempe +said to Ralph as they mounted. "The men are worn out with hunger; +disgusted at the wretched mismanagement, which sends them into a +battle without having had food for twenty-four hours, and with no +prospect whatever of it for another twenty-four. Besides, we ought +to have been reinforced. + +"Our line is too long, Ralph. There is neither direction nor +management." + +For a time the French held their position well, against the +tremendous artillery fire which was maintained upon them. +Gradually, however, the Germans pushed their heavy masses of troops +forwards; and the French reserves had already been brought up. + +Several of the mobile regiments showed signs of wavering. General +Chanzy rode backwards and forwards along the front of the position; +exposing himself recklessly, in order to give courage and +confidence to his men. Cigar after cigar he smoked, as tranquilly +as if sitting in an armchair, a hundred miles away from the din of +battle. At last, after exchanging a few words with the generals of +brigade, he called Ralph--who happened to be the only aide-de-camp +unemployed--up to him. + +"Captain Barclay," he said, "ride at once to General Sonis. Tell him that +my division--not having received the promised reinforcements--must fall +back. He has already sent, to say he is hard pressed. Ask him to hold his +ground, if possible, for another half hour; by which time I shall have +fallen back towards the position I left yesterday morning--but will draw +rather to my right, so as to keep our connections nearer, and to afford +him help, if necessary." + +Without a word Ralph turned his horse, and galloped off at full +speed. A quarter of an hour's riding, and he rode up to General +Sonis; who was just calling upon several regiments, among whom were +the Papal Zouaves, to make a charge. + +This fine body of men--the Papal Zouaves--acquired, and justly +acquired, more glory than any other French corps throughout the +war. They behaved, upon every occasion, magnificently. In the first +fight at Orleans, upon this 2nd of December, and afterwards at the +battle of Le Mans, the Zouaves of Charette fought with the courage +of lions. A great many of them were men of good family. All were +inspired by the ardor and spirit of their chief. Their uniform was +similar in cut to that of the French Zouaves; but was of a quiet +gray color, trimmed with a little red braid. + +Ralph rode up, and delivered his message. + +"I am going to carry that position, sir," the general said; "and in +that case I shall not have to fall back at all, and General Chanzy +can close up on me--throwing back his left, so as not to be +outflanked. If you wait a few minutes, you will see the result of +this charge. + +"Now, gentlemen." + +So saying he rode, with his staff, in front of the line. + +"Forward, men!" he shouted, drawing his sword. + +Ralph had naturally fallen in with the staff, and was now able to +see and admire the daring of the proposed movement which, if +successful, would have changed the fortunes of the day. Upon an +eminence, some three-quarters of a mile distant, were several +batteries of artillery; supported by a large body of infantry, who +extended to within about half the distance between the French line +and their own reserves. The fire was terrific--so terrific that +several of the French regiments refused to advance. Others started; +but withered away so fast, under the deadly fire, that only two +corps--besides the Zouaves--persevered to the end. + +The Zouaves advanced at a double, but with as much coolness as if +on parade. They did not fire a shot, but made straight at the +Prussian infantry. As they approached the enemy's line, General +Sonis and his staff fell in between the Zouaves, and a regiment of +Mobiles next to them, in order not to interfere with the fire. + +"For God and France!" Charette shouted, as he led the charge; and +the whole regiment responded, as one man, "For God and France!" + +So fierce was this onslaught that the Prussian infantry refused to +face it, and fell back upon their supports. Still the Zouaves +rushed on, and again the Prussians fell back; but the assault was +growing more and more hopeless. The Zouaves were unsupported, save +by a few hundred men. The other regiments were far in the rear. The +shot and shell were mowing lanes through them. An army was in +front. + +At last, they halted. Colonel Charette marched on in front, waving +his sword. General Sonis, with his staff, again rode forward. It +was heroic, but it was heroic madness. + +Again the Zouaves advanced. Again a storm of shell poured upon +them, and then a regiment of German cavalry swept down. There was a +crash. Charette and his officers disappeared, beneath the hoofs of +the cavalry. General Sonis and his staff went down like straw +before them; but the Zouaves stood firm, fired a volley into them; +and then--having lost eight hundred men, in that desperate attempt +to retrieve the fortunes of the day--the remainder retreated, +sullenly, with their faces to the foe. + +Ralph Barclay, when the cavalry swept upon them, had shot the first +two of his foes with his revolver; and had then been cut down by a +tall German dragoon, just at the moment that his horse fell dead, +shot through the head. Ralph had a momentary vision of gleaming +hoofs above him; and then he remembered nothing more, until he came +to himself, hours afterwards. + +His first sensation was that of intense cold. He endeavored to +rise, but was powerless to move hand or foot. He lay quiet for a +few minutes; and then made another effort, but with a similar want +of success. This time, however, he felt that his limbs would have +moved, had they not been fastened down by some weight. + +He now concentrated all his strength upon one arm. It yielded +suddenly and, when it was free, he was able to turn partly round, +so as to feel what it was that had confined it. He found that his +own blood, and that of the horse, had frozen his arm fast to the +ground. It required a considerable effort before he could get +altogether free, for he was stiff with the cold. Putting his sword +up to his head, he found that he had been saved by the very means +which were now giving him so much pain. The intense cold had frozen +the blood, as it flowed; and stanched it more effectively than any +surgeon could have done. + +Ralph--after rubbing his hands and arms, to restore +circulation--now endeavored, by the remains of twilight, to see +where he was, and how he had been saved. His horse lay next to him, +and almost covering him. The poor animal had fallen on to its back; +or had rolled over, afterwards and, in the latter case, it was +fortunate indeed, for Ralph, that it had not taken another half +turn. Had it done so, it would have crushed him to death. As it +was, it had reached to within an inch or two of him; partly +concealing him from sight, protecting him from the cold, and also +greatly diminishing his chance of being trampled upon by cavalry +passing over. + +A short distance off, Ralph could see parties with lanterns; and +one of them seemed approaching. Far in his rear, he could hear an +occasional shot; and it rushed across his mind, at once, that the +French had been defeated, and were falling back upon Orleans. These +lights, therefore, must be in the hands of Germans. + +The thought that a German prison awaited him roused Ralph from his +inactivity. It flashed across his mind that, as he had escaped +before, they would take care and give him but little chance of +escaping again and--although stiff, and bruised from head to foot; +half frozen, and faint from loss of blood--the hope of liberty +roused him to new exertion. With some effort, he got at the holster +of his pistol; in which was a flask of strong brandy and water +which, though icy cold, had yet a sensibly warming influence. The +lights were still at some distance off; and Ralph, after +considerable trouble, and after cutting the straps which fastened +it to the saddle, succeeded in getting at his fur overcoat. This he +put on, picked up the cap of one of the German troopers who had +fallen near, and then walked slowly away, over the deserted battle +ground. + +Ten minutes later, he heard a horse's hoofs upon the hard ground. +He cocked the pistol--which had remained fastened to his belt, when +he fell--pulled forward the German soldier's cap, and walked +quietly on. + +"Who goes there?" shouted a voice, and two German officers rode up. + +It was far too dark, now, to distinguish faces. + +"Karl Zimmerman, of the Seventh Dragoons," Ralph said, in German, +saluting. + +"What are you doing here?" + +"I am servant to Lieutenant Falchen, who fell today; and I had been +to look for his body. It was somewhere about here, when we charged +the gray Zouaves." + +"But your regiment is miles off," one of the officers said. "I saw +them an hour ago." + +"I don't know where they are, sir," Ralph said, "for I had my head +laid open, with a sword bayonet, just as I was cutting down the man +I had seen shoot my master. I was carried to the rear, but the +surgeon had gone on; and my wound stopped of itself and, when I +reached the hospital, the doctors were so busy that I asked leave +to go, and see if I could find my master." + +"Where are the ambulances now?" one of the officers asked, as they +turned to ride off. + +"Over in that direction. Look, sir, there are some of the +searchers, with lanterns. They will direct you, at once." + +"Thanks," the officer said, riding off; "good luck in your search." + +Ralph had noticed a cottage, standing by itself at the edge of a +wood, at some little distance from the bivouac of the night of the +30th of November; and had stopped for a moment, and asked a few +questions of the woman who lived there. She had appeared a +kind-hearted woman, full of hatred for the invader; and had two +sons in the Mobiles, who had marched north when Paris was first +threatened, and who were now besieged there. For this cottage Ralph +determined to make, in order--if the owners would receive him--to +take shelter in the house; otherwise, to find a refuge in the wood, +itself, where he doubted not that they would assist him to lie hid +for a few days. He had no great fear of a very active search being +made for fugitives, at present, as the Prussians had only driven +back two divisions of the French army; and had, Ralph believed, +plenty of work on their hands, for some time. + +It was fortunate for Ralph that he had studied the ground so +carefully; for he soon came upon the road, and the stars--which +were shining brightly--gave him his direction and bearings. The +battle had extended over the whole of this ground. Many times Ralph +could hear groans; and saw, in places, dark forms thickly scattered +over the ground--showing where a stand had been made, or where a +regiment had lain exposed, for hours, to an artillery fire. + +The distance was considerable to the place Ralph had marked out for +himself. Eight miles, at least, he thought; for it was away behind +what had, two days before, been Chanzy's left. It was, in Ralph's +state of feebleness, a very long journey. Over and over again, he +had to sit down and rest. He did not feel the cold, now; the fur +coat, and the exertion of walking, kept his body in a glow. He took +great pains, however, not to exert himself, so as to make himself +too hot; as he feared that his wound might break out, if he did so. +He was fully twelve hours upon the road; and daylight was just +breaking in the east when--exhausted by hunger, fatigue, and loss +of blood--he crawled up to the door, and knocked. + +There was a movement inside, but it was not until he had knocked +twice that a voice within asked: + +"Who is there?" + +"A wounded officer," Ralph said. + +There was a whispered talk, inside. + +"Let me in, my friends," he said, "for the remembrance of your boys +in Paris. There is no danger to you in doing so as, if the Germans +come, you have only to say you have a wounded officer. I can pay +you well." + +"We don't care for pay," the woman of the house said; opening the +door, with a candle in her hand--and then falling back, with a cry +of horror, at the object before her: a man, tottering with fatigue, +and with his face a perfect mask of stiffened blood. + +"You do not remember me," Ralph said. "I am the captain of the +staff who chatted to you, two days ago, about your boys in Paris." + +"Poor boy!" the woman said, compassionately. "Come in. + +"Monsieur will pardon me," she went on, apologetically, "for +speaking so, but I called you the boy captain, when I was telling +my good man what a bright-- + +"But there, what you want now is rest, and food. The question is +where to put you. We may be searched, at any time; though it's not +likely that we shall be, for a few days. The battle has gone away +in the direction of Orleans, and we have not seen half a dozen men +since I saw you, two days ago. + +"The first thing is to give you something warm. You are half +frozen. Sit down for a few minutes. I will soon make a blaze." + +Ralph sank down--utterly exhausted and worn out--in the settle by +the fireplace; and fell into a half doze, while the woman lit a +bright fire on the hearth. In a few minutes she had drawn some +liquor from the pot-au-feu--the soup pot--which stands by the +fireside of every French peasant, however poor; and into which all +the odds and ends of the household are thrown. This liquor she put +into a smaller pot; broke some bread into it, added an onion--which +she chopped up while it was warming--together with a little pepper +and salt and, in ten minutes from the time of Ralph's entry, she +placed a bowl of this mixture, smoking hot, before him. + +At first, he seemed too exhausted to eat; but gradually his +appetite returned, and he finished off the hot broth. + +"What shall I do to your wound, sir?" the woman said. "It is a +terrible sight, at present." + +"It is the cold which saved my life, I fancy," Ralph said, "by +stopping the bleeding; but now it wants bathing in warm water, for +some time, and then bandaging. + +"But where are you going to put me?" + +"In the boys' room, upstairs, sir. It is just as they left it." + +"I have no doubt it is very comfortable," Ralph said, "but all this +country is certain to be scoured, by the enemy's cavalry. I do not +want to be taken prisoner; and rather than that I would go and live +out in the woods, and only crawl here, once a day, for some food." + +The husband had now come downstairs and, as he aided his wife to +first bathe and then bandage the wound, they talked over the +matter; and agreed that Ralph could be hid in a loft over a shed, a +hundred yards from the house, and very much concealed in the woods, +without much fear of discovery. The farmer at once started to make +the place as comfortable as he could; and the wife followed with a +couple of blankets, a quarter of an hour later. + +Ralph, by this time, could scarcely crawl along. The fever +consequent upon the wound, the fatigue, and the cold made his head +throb so terribly that he could scarcely hold it up and, had it not +been for the assistance of the farmer's wife, he could not have +crawled across the short distance to the shed. The loft was low and +small and, when the wooden shutter of the window--or rather +opening, for it was unglazed--was closed, it was lighted only by +the light which came in at the crevices. The shed was altogether of +wood; so that the shutter--which happened to be at its back--would +scarcely have been noticed while, from the shed being high and the +loft very low, anyone inside would scarcely have suspected the +existence of any loft, at all. It was reached by a ladder and trap +door. + +The farmer assisted Ralph up the ladder. The shutter was open, and +Ralph saw that the farmer had made a bed of straw, upon which his +wife was spreading one of the blankets. Ralph now took off his +uniform, and lay down; and was covered first by the other blanket, +and then with his own fur-lined coat. The farmer's wife had +thoughtfully brought a pillow with her; and Ralph in a few minutes +was lying in what--had it not been for the pain of his wound--would +have been intense comfort, after the cold and fatigue. His hostess +went away, and returned with a large jug of water and a glass, +which she put down within reach of his arm. + +"There is nothing else you want?" she asked. + +"Nothing, thank you, except to sleep," Ralph said. + +"I shall shut this shutter," the farmer said. "Enough light will +come through the cracks to see well, when your eyes get accustomed +to the darkness. I shall shut the trap close down after me, as I +go, and lift down the ladder. It is very light, and my wife can +easily put it into its place again. We will come and see you again, +in the afternoon. Goodbye." + +"Goodbye," Ralph answered, faintly; and before the sound of their +footsteps had died away, he fell into a sort of feverish doze. + +For a time he turned uneasily, muttered incoherent words, and moved +his hands restlessly. Soon, however, the effects of the cloth +soaked in icy-cold water, which the farmer's wife had placed on the +bandages over the wound, began to subdue the feverish heat; and in +half an hour he was sleeping soundly, and quietly. He woke at last, +with a flash of light in his face and, opening his eyes, saw the +good woman again bending over him. + +"I am glad," were her first words. "I thought, for a moment, you +were dead." + +"No, no," Ralph said, with a faint smile; "a long way from that, +yet. My sleep has done me a world of good. What o'clock is it?" + +"Nine o'clock," his hostess said. "I could not come before, for I +have had several parties going past, and the house was searched +once. I kept on wondering whether you wanted me, until I nearly +worked myself into a fever." + +"Thank you," Ralph said. "I have been all the better for being +allowed to sleep on. I have had nearly thirteen hours of it. I feel +queer, about the head; but otherwise I feel all right. + +"I am terribly thirsty." + +"I have got nothing but water to offer you," the woman said. "The +Germans drank the last drop of our wine up, months ago. But I had a +few apples; and I have roasted them, and put them in this jug of +water. It will give it a taste, and is good for fever. + +"In this jug is some herb tea, which you must drink when you feel +feverish. + +"And now, do you feel as if you could eat some broth?" + +"That I do," Ralph said. + +His hostess put her arm under him, and raised him up into a sitting +posture; in which she retained him by kneeling down beside him, and +holding him up as if he had been a child. Then she gave him a basin +of bread broth, and a drink of water; shook up his pillow, arranged +the things over him; and put a fresh cloth, dipped in water, on his +head. + +"Here is a box of matches," she said, "and here is the water and +herb tea, in reach of your arm. You're not cold, are you?" + +"No, thank you," Ralph said, "and in spite of the sleep I have had, +I feel as if I could go off again till morning, comfortably." + +"Be patient, if I am late," the woman said. "I will come as soon as +I can. If I am late, you will know that there are Germans about." + +Ralph's idea of his capacity for sleep turned out correct. It was +still dark when he woke but, striking a match, he found that it was +nearly seven o'clock. He at once blew out the match, felt for the +apple water, took a drink, and then nestled down deep into the fur +coat. + +"It will be getting light in another hour," he said to himself. +"It's awfully cold, too; but I am better off, here, than I should +be in the field. I hope she will be here soon; I want to know if +she has any news. Well, there is only an hour to lay awake," and, +almost as he murmured the words, Ralph dropped off again, and slept +until ten o'clock. + +This time, he woke with the slight creaking which the trap door +made. + +"How are you today, Monsieur le Capitaine?" his hostess said. + +"I am getting on capitally, thanks to your care," Ralph said. "And +what have you there?" + +"Your breakfast and some plaster. My husband started, yesterday +evening, to walk to the doctor, who lives twelve miles off. He told +him all about you; but the doctor would not come, himself. However, +he sent word that the wound was to be washed well, twice a day, +with warm water; and that a little lint is to be laid in it each +time, after the bathing and, when the inflammation ceases to look +angry, I am to draw the edges together as closely as I can, and +strap them together with these strips of plaster." + +"It is very kind of your husband," Ralph said, "very kind. Did the +doctor say how long I should be, before I could be about again?" + +"No," the woman said. "Jacques asked him, but he said that he could +not say without seeing the wound, and examining you. Jacques +described its position: coming down from the back of the head, +taking off just a little bit of the top of the ear, and then ending +on the cheekbone. He said that Monsieur le Capitaine must have a +head as thick as a wall, or it would have killed him." + +Ralph smiled, and his hostess set to work to carry out her +instructions. + +"Shall I take away your uniform and hide it away so that, in case +the enemy search and find you, they will have no proof against +you?" + +"No, no," Ralph said; "the uniform shows I am not a franc tireur; +and so will prevent my being hung, and you having your house burnt +over your head. Besides which, I should be entitled to be treated +as an officer. My uniform is the best protection for us all. + +"Have you any news of what is going on?" + +"We heard firing yesterday," the woman said, "and today we can hear +a constant booming, from the direction of Orleans." + +Ralph listened, but the bandage prevented his hearing anything. + +"You are very kind," he said, "but you can hardly think how I want +to be off. However, I fear that I am here for a week, at the very +least. Just think what I am missing." + +"It seems to me," the woman said, "you are missing a great many +chances of being killed; which I should consider to be a very +fortunate miss, indeed. I should not like Jacques to have that gash +on the head; but I would a great deal rather that he was lying here +wounded, just as you are, than to know that he was in the middle of +all that fighting at Orleans. + +"Be patient, my friend. We will do our best for you. If you have no +fever, tomorrow, Jacques will try and buy some meat and some wine +for you, at one of the villages; and then you will soon get quite +strong." + +When Ralph had eaten his breakfast, he again laid down; and his +kind hostess left him, as her husband was obliged to be out and at +work, and it was necessary that she should be at home, to answer +any straggling troops of the enemy who might pass. + +"I wish I had Tim with me," Ralph said, to himself. "Tim would +amuse me, and make me laugh. It would be desperately cold for him. +I am all right, under my blanket and this warm coat. Well, I +suppose I must try to sleep as many hours away as I can." + + + +Chapter 20: Crossing The Lines. + + +Ralph was destined to a longer stay upon his hay bed in the loft +than he had anticipated. The next day, instead of being better he +was a good deal worse. Inflammation had again set in, and he was +feverish and incoherent in his talk. He was conscious of this, +himself, by seeing the dismay in the face of the nurse, when he had +been rambling on to her for some time, in English. + +At last, with an effort, he commanded his attention, and said to +her: + +"How far is it from here to Orleans?" + +"Seventeen miles," she said. + +"Look here," he said, "you are very kind, and I know that you do +not want to be paid for your kindness; but I am well off, and I +know you have lost your horse and cow, and so you must let me pay +you for what you do for me. + +"I am afraid I am going to have fever. I want your husband to go +into Orleans. The Prussians went in yesterday, you say; and so your +husband will not have to cross any outposts to get there. There is +an English ambulance there. I will write a line in pencil; and I am +sure they will give him some fever medicine, and anything else I +may require. Please feel in the breast pocket of my coat; you will +find a pocket book, with a pencil in it." + +The woman did as he told her; and Ralph, with a great effort, +wrote: + +"I am an Englishman, though a captain in the French service. I am +wounded with a saber, in the head; and am sheltered in a loft. +Inflammation has set in and, I fear, fever. I am obliged, indeed, +to make a great effort to master it sufficiently to write this. +Please send some fever medicine, by the bearer, and some arrowroot. +A lemon or two would be a great blessing. + +"Ralph Barclay." + +He then tore out the leaf, folded, and directed it to the head of +the English ambulance, Orleans. + +"How is he to know the English ambulance?" + +"It has a red cross on a white ground, as all the others have; and +an English flag--that is, a flag with red and white stripes going +from corner to corner, and crossing each other in the middle. But +anyone will tell him." + +"I am sure he will set out at once," the woman said, and left the +loft. + +In ten minutes she returned. + +"He has started," she said, "but not to Orleans. My husband, +directly I gave him the message, said that he had heard that there +was an English ambulance at Terminiers, attending to the wounded +picked up on the battlefield. It is only five miles from here." + +"Thank God for that," Ralph said. + +Three hours later the farmer returned, with a bottle of medicine, +some arrowroot, lemons, a bottle of wine, some Liebig's essence of +meat--for making broth--and a message that the English surgeon +would ride over, as soon as he could get away. The farmer had given +him detailed instructions for finding the house; but was afraid of +stopping to act as his guide as, had he been seen walking by the +side of the surgeon's horse, the suspicions of any German they +might encounter would be at once excited. + +The surgeon arrived an hour later, and was at once taken to Ralph's +bedside. Ralph, however, could not speak to, or even recognize the +presence of his countryman; for he was in a high state of fever. +The surgeon examined his wound carefully. + +"I think he will get over it," he said, to the farmer's wife. "It +is a nasty cut; but there is nothing dangerous in the wound, +itself. It is the general shock to the system, together with the +hardships and suffering he had gone through. He is a mere boy--not +above seventeen or eighteen. He says in his note he is a captain, +but it can hardly be so." + +"He is a captain, sir. There is his uniform hanging up." + +"Yes," the surgeon said, "that is the uniform of a captain in the +staff, and he has got the commander's button of the legion of +honor. I wonder who he can be. + +"Ralph Barclay," he said thoughtfully, looking at the pencil note +Ralph had sent him. "Ah, now I remember the name. I thought it was +familiar to me. This is the young Englishman who made his way +through the lines into Paris, with dispatches He is a fine young +fellow. We must do what we can for him." + +"Could you take him into your hospital, sir?" the woman asked. + +"He will be better where he is, if you will continue to nurse him." + +"Yes, I will do that; but I thought he would be so much better +looked after, in the hospital." + +"No," the surgeon said, "that is just what he would not be. Every +room is literally crowded with wounded; and wounds do infinitely +better in fresh, pure air, like this, than in a room with a close +atmosphere, and other bad wounds. + +"The fever medicine I sent over will last him for some days. I have +brought over a tin of little biscuits. Give him the fever medicine, +every two hours, until there is a change; and whenever you can get +him to take it, give him a little broth made of a spoonful of the +essence of meat in a liter of boiling water or, for a change, some +arrowroot. I will show you how to make it, when we get back to the +house. + +"Can you manage to stay with him? He will want a good deal of +looking after, for the next two days." + +"Yes, sir, I was talking to Jacques about it, today. He will go +over to the next village--it is only a mile away--and will fetch my +sister, who lives there, to keep house for a bit." + +"That is capital," the surgeon said. "And now, watch attentively +how I put this bandage on; and do it the same way, once a day. When +you have put the bandage on, you must put wet cloths to his head, +as long as he remains delirious. I am awfully busy; but I will ride +over again, in three or four days, to see how he is getting on. + +"By the way, it may be an advantage to you if I give you a paper, +signed by me, to say that you are taking care of a wounded French +officer at my request as--although you wished to send him to the +ambulance--I refused because, in the first place, he could not bear +moving; and in the second, the ambulance was as full as it could +possibly hold. That will clear you, in case any German parties come +along and find him." + +It was a week before Ralph opened his eyes with any consciousness +of what he saw. He looked round, with a vague wonderment as to +where he was. In a minute or two, a look of recognition came into +his face. Looking round, he saw that there were changes. A small +piece had been sawn out of the shutter, so as to let in air and +light while it remained closed. A table and a chair were beside his +bed. In a corner of the loft was a small flat stove, with a few +embers glowing upon it, and a saucepan standing upon them. Upon the +opposite side of the loft to that where he was lying was a heap of +hay, similar to his own; with a figure, rolled up in a blanket, +lying on it. + +For some time, Ralph thought all this over in the vague, wondering +way peculiar to people recovering from a long illness. Most, he +puzzled over the occupant of the other bed; and at last concluded +that it was some fugitive, like himself. For some time he lay and +watched the figure until, presently, it moved, threw off the +blanket and rose and, to his surprise, he saw that it was his +nurse. + +"Thanks to all the saints!" she exclaimed, when she saw him looking +at her. "You are better, at last. I think that I was asleep, too. +But you were sleeping so quiet, that I thought I would take a nap; +for I was so sleepy." + +"How long have I been here?" Ralph asked. + +"Just a week, from the time the fever took you. The English doctor +came over and saw you, and sent lots of things for you, and said +you were not to be left; so I had the bed made up here, and my +sister came over to take care of Jacques. And now, you must not +talk any more. Drink this broth, and then go off to sleep again." + +Ralph complied. He was too tired and weak to ask any more +questions, and it was not until next day that he heard of the +obstinate battles which General Chanzy had fought--on the 7th, 8th, +and 10th--near Beauguency. + +"Thank goodness," Ralph said, "we can't have been very badly +beaten, if we were able to fight three drawn battles within about +twenty miles of a first defeat." + +For the next two days, Ralph improved in health. Then he had a +relapse, and was very ill, for some days. Then he began, steadily +but slowly, to gain strength. It was three weeks after his arrival +at the cottage before he could walk, another week before he had +recovered his strength sufficiently to think of moving. + +One of his first anxieties--after recovering consciousness after +his first, and longest, attack of fever--had been upon the subject +of the terrible anxiety which they must be feeling, at home, +respecting him. They would have heard, from Colonel Tempe, that he +was missing and, as he would have been seen to fall, it was +probable that he was reported as dead. Ralph's only consolation was +that, as the Germans were at Dijon, the communication would be very +slow, and uncertain; and although it was now ten days since the +engagement, it was possible--if he could but get a letter sent, at +once--that they would get it nearly, if not quite as quickly as the +one from Colonel Tempe; especially if as was very probable the +colonel would be a great deal too engaged, during the week's +tremendous fighting which succeeded the day upon which Ralph was +wounded, for him to be able to write letters. + +The first time that he saw the English surgeon, he mentioned this +anxiety, and the doctor at once offered to take charge of a letter; +and to forward it with his own, in the military post bag, to the +headquarters of the ambulance at Versailles, together with a note +to the head of the ambulance there, begging him to get it sent on +in the first bag for Dijon. In this way, it would arrive at its +destination within four or five days, at most, of its leaving +Orleans. + +It was on the 2nd of January--exactly a month from the date of the +fight in which he was wounded--that, after very many thanks to his +kind host and hostess, and after forcing a handsome present upon +them, Ralph started--in a peasant's dress which had been bought for +him--for Orleans. He had still plenty of money with him; for he had +drawn the reward, of fifty thousand francs, in Paris. The greater +portion of this money he had paid into the hands of a banker, at +Tours, but Percy and he had kept out a hundred pounds each; knowing +by experience how useful it is, in case of being taken prisoner, to +have plenty of money. Ralph's wound was still bound up with +plaster, and to conceal it a rabbit-skin cap with flaps had been +bought so that, by letting down the flaps and tying them under the +chin, the greater part of the cheeks were covered. + +The farmer had made inquiries among his neighbors and, finding one +who was going into Orleans, with a horse and cart, he had asked him +to give Ralph a lift to that place. The start had been effected +early, and it was three o'clock when they drove into Orleans. Here +Ralph shook hands with his driver--who wished him a safe journey +home--and strolled leisurely down the streets. + +Orleans presented a miserable aspect. The inhabitants kept +themselves shut up in their houses, as much as possible. The bishop +was kept a prisoner, by the Prussians, in his own palace; troops +were quartered in every house; the inhabitants were, for the most +part, in a state of poverty; and the shops would have been all +shut, had not the Prussians ordered them to be kept open. The +streets were thronged with German troops, and long trains of carts +were on their way through, with provisions for the army. These +carts were requisitioned from the peasantry, and were frequently +taken immense distances from home; the owner--or driver, if the +owner was rich enough to pay one--being obliged to accompany them. + +Many were the sad scenes witnessed in these convoys. The grief of a +father dragged away, not knowing what would become of his wife and +children, during his absence. The anguish of a laborer at seeing +his horse fall dead with fatigue, knowing well that he had no means +of taking his cart home again; and that he had nothing to do but to +return to his home, and tell his wife that the horse and +cart--which constituted his sole wealth--were gone. + +Ralph waited until, late in the afternoon, he saw a long train halt +by one of the bridges. It was evidently intending to cross, the +next morning, and go down south. In a short time the horses were +taken out, and fastened by halters to the carts; two or three +soldiers took up their posts as sentries, and the drivers were +suffered to leave--the Germans knowing that there was no chance of +their deserting, and leaving their horses and carts. + +The poor fellows dispersed through the town. Those who had any +money bought food. Those who had not, begged; for the Germans +allowed them no rations, and left them to shift for themselves--or +starve--as they liked. Ralph joined in conversation with a group of +these, who were relating their hardships to two or three +sympathetic listeners. An old man, especially, was almost +heartbroken. His wife was dying, and he had been forced from her +bedside. + +"What could I do?" he asked, pitifully. "I was a carrier. My horse +and cart were all I had in the world. If I had not gone with them +they were lost for ever. What was I to do?" + +No one could answer him but, when the party had broken up, Ralph +went up to him. + +"How much are your horse and cart worth?" he asked. + +"The horse is worth five hundred francs," he said. "The cart is an +old one--two hundred and fifty would pay for it. It is not much, +you see, but it is all I have." + +"Look here, old man," Ralph said, "I am not what I look. I am a +French officer, and I want to get down near the Prussian outposts, +but without passes I could not get on. Besides I have been wounded, +and am too weak to walk far. I will give you the seven hundred and +fifty francs which are the value of your horse and cart, and will +take your place as driver; so that you can start back, at once, to +your wife. Do you agree?" + +The old man was so affected with joy that he burst into tears. + +"God bless you, sir," he said. "You have saved my life, and my poor +wife's life, too." + +"Very well, it is a bargain, then," Ralph said. "Here is half the +money. You shall have the rest tomorrow. + +"Now you must go with me tomorrow morning, at the hour for +starting; and tell the officer in charge that I am a nephew of +yours--living here, but out of work, at present--and that you have +arranged with me to drive the cart, as long as it's wanted, and +then to take it home again." + +After a few more words, the peasant took him back and showed him +his cart; in order that he might know where to find him, in the +morning. + +"We start at daybreak," he said, "so you had better be here by +half-past six." + +"Where do you sleep?" Ralph asked. + +"I? Oh, I don't sleep much. I lie down for a bit, underneath the +carts; and then walk about to warm myself." + +"Take this warm fur coat of mine," Ralph said. "It will keep you +warm tonight, anyhow. I shan't want it; I shall get a bed +somewhere." + +The coat was the one Ralph had worn on his night walk, after being +wounded. He had had all the braid, and the fur of the collar and +cuffs taken off; and had had it purposely dirtied, so that it was +no longer a garment which could attract attention, on the back of a +man with a cart. + +After some difficulty, Ralph got a bed; and was at the agreed place +at the appointed time. The old man went up to the Prussian sergeant +in command, and told the tale Ralph had dictated to him. The +sergeant agreed to the arrangement, with a brief nod. The old man +handed Ralph his whip, and returned him the fur coat; which Ralph +was glad enough to put on, for the morning was bitterly cold, and +Ralph--enfeebled by his illness--felt it keenly. In another five +minutes, the carts were in motion across the bridge, and then away +due south. + +For half an hour Ralph walked by the side of his cart and--being, +by that time, thoroughly warm--he jumped up in the cart and rode, +during the rest of the day; getting down and walking--for a short +time only--when he found his feet getting numbed with the cold. + +In the afternoon they arrived at La Ferte, some fifteen miles from +Orleans. There they remained for the night. There were not very +many troops here, and Ralph could have obtained a bed by paying +well for it; but he feared to attract attention by the possession +of unusual funds and, therefore, slept in a hay loft; afraid, in +spite of his fur coat, to sleep in the open air. + +The next morning the train was divided, twenty of the carts going +down towards Romorantin; while the rest--now fifteen in +number--kept on towards Salbris. Ralph's cart formed part of this +latter division. The night after they left La Ferte, they halted at +La Motte Beuvron, where there was a strong force of Germans. The +following day only four carts continued their route to Salbris, +Ralph happening again to be among them. He had regretted two days +before that he had not formed part of the division for Romorantin, +as from that place he would have been less than twenty miles from +Tours, which the Prussians had not yet entered; but as he had the +good fortune to go on to Salbris, he did not mind--as Salbris, like +Romorantin, was one of the most advanced stations. + +They arrived late in the afternoon, and the carts were at once +unloaded. The sergeant in charge told them to wait, while he got +their papers for them; and in ten minutes he returned. + +"You will have tomorrow to rest your horses, and the next day a +train will start for the north. Your work is over now, as there is +nothing to go back. Here are the passes for you, saying that you +have carried goods down here for the army; and are therefore to +return back, without your carts being further requisitioned." + +Ralph put up his horse and cart for an hour in the village, while +he went to search for some farm house upon which no Prussian +soldiers were quartered. He was unable, for some time, to find one; +but at last, over a mile from the town, he found a small place +which had escaped the attention of the Prussian quartermaster, and +where there was a small, unoccupied stable. Ralph soon struck a +bargain with its owner; returned to Salbris, mounted his cart, +drove out; and was soon settled in the little farm house. + +He anticipated no great difficulty in passing out through the +outposts; as there was no French force of any importance, near, and +the German troops interfered but little with the movements of the +country people. The affair, however, turned out more easy than he +had anticipated for, towards morning, he was awoke by the distant +sound of bugles. + +"Something is up," he said to himself; "either a French attack, a +general advance, or a recall. If it should be the latter, I am in +luck." + +It turned out to be as Ralph hoped. The peasant in whose house he +was stopping went into Salbris, early; and came back with the news +that there was no longer a German there. Orders had come for them +to fall back, towards Orleans. + +"I am not at all surprised," Ralph said, when he heard it, "for +Orleans was emptying fast of troops. This sudden march of Bourbaki +for the east, and the necessity to reinforce Frederick Charles, +near Vendome must try even Prussian resources to the utmost." + +Half an hour later, Ralph was jogging along on his way to Vierzon. +There he found that the railway was open to Bourges, from which +town he should have no difficulty in getting on to Dijon. He soon +found a purchaser for his horse and cart, at ten pounds, and the +next morning started on his way home. + + + +Chapter 21: Home. + + +It was a long journey from Vierzon to Dijon. At Bourges Ralph had +taken advantage of a delay of some hours--necessitated by the fact +that no train was going--to get some suitable clothes, instead of +the peasant's suit in which he had traversed the lines. He had, of +course, brought his papers with him; so that he had no difficulty, +whatever, in getting on by the train. But the train itself made but +slow work of it. Bourbaki had passed west only the week before, +with all his army, upon his march to the relief of Belfort; and the +railway was completely choked. However, Ralph was not inclined to +grumble at the cause of his delay; for it was only upon Bourbaki's +approach that the Germans had evacuated Dijon--which was now held +by Garibaldi's irregulars, and a considerable force of Mobiles. + +So great were the delays that it was evening when the train reached +Dijon. Ralph had scarcely stepped out on to the platform when Percy +bounded upon him, and threw his arms round his neck. + +"Dear, dear old Ralph! Thank God you are back again." + +"My dear Percy, where did you spring from?" + +"I have been home five days. I was still down at Marseilles, when I +heard that Dijon was open again; and I came straight up. + +"And how are you, Ralph?" + +"Oh, I am getting all right again. How are they all, at home?" + +"Well--quite well--but dreadfully anxious about you." + +By this time the boys were out of the station, and were walking +homeward. + +"But you have not told me how you happened to be at the station." + +"Well, I was waiting there, just on the chance of seeing you. Mamma +was so dreadfully anxious about you that I wanted to do something. +At any rate, I could not sit quiet at home. There are never more +than two trains with passengers in a day, sometimes only one; so I +have been staying down in the town, most of the days since I came +home--having paid one of the railway people to send me word, +directly the train was telegraphed as starting from Dole." + +"How long is it since my letter arrived?" + +"Nearly three weeks, Ralph; fortunately it came four or five days +before a letter from Tempe, saying that he feared you were killed. +Not having heard again, they were terribly anxious." + +"I had no means of writing," Ralph said. "The English +ambulance--through whom my letter was sent--moved down to Vendome, +the very day after I wrote; and I had no other way of sending my +letter." + +"I said it was something of that sort. I pointed out to them that +it was evident, by what you said, that the fever had passed off, +and that you only wanted strength; but that being in hiding, of +course, you could not write. I gave you three weeks to get strong +enough to start, and four or five days to manage to get through the +lines; so that by my calculation you were just due, when you +arrived. + +"It has pulled you down, Ralph, very much. I wish I had been there +to nurse you." + +"Thank you, Percy. Fortunately I did fall into very good hands, and +was well looked after. I hope papa has not been over anxious about +me?" + +"I think he has been nervous, Ralph; but he did not show it, but +talked cheerfully to keep up mamma and Milly." + +"And are you quite strong again, Percy?" + +"Yes, I think I am nearly as strong as ever, Ralph. + +"There, we are just at the house, now. You had better wait outside; +while I go in and let them know, gradually, that you are home. I +came in like a fool, suddenly, and mamma fainted--she says for the +first time in her life--and Milly went into hysterics, and cried +and laughed so wildly that you might have heard her in Dijon. She +frightened me nearly out of my senses." + +Ralph remained, accordingly, outside the door; while Percy went in +alone. The others had finished tea. + +"You are a little late, Percy," Mrs. Barclay said. "We gave you +twenty minutes' law. It is not the least matter, your being late; +but I do not think it is wise to be out, these bitter nights, until +you are quite strong." + +"I am quite strong, mamma, as strong as ever," Percy laughed; but +his laugh was, in spite of himself, a little unnatural. + +His father looked sharply up. + +Percy sat down, and drank a little of the tea his mother handed to +him. + +"I waited for the train to come in," he said, "and--of course it +may not be so--but I heard of someone who, by the description, +seemed to be Ralph." + +"What was it, Percy, what was it?" Milly cried; while her mother +gazed at him with a pale face, and appealing eyes. + +"Don't agitate yourself, mamma dear--you see, it may not be true, +after all--but among the people in the train was one who had come +straight from Bourges. I spoke to him, and he said that he had +heard--by a friend who had come straight from Vierzon--that a young +officer had just arrived there, in disguise; who had been wounded, +and in hiding, ever since the capture of Orleans. You know, mamma, +it is just the time I calculated he would be coming; and from the +fact of his being a young staff officer, and in disguise, I have +very little doubt it is Ralph." + +Captain Barclay rose from his seat and--standing for a moment +behind his wife's chair--looked at Percy, and then at the door, +inquiringly. Percy nodded. + +Captain Barclay leaned over, and kissed his wife + +"Thank God, dear, for all His mercies! Another day or two, and we +shall be having him home." + +"Thank God, indeed!" Mrs. Barclay said; "but though I hope--though +I try to think it was him--perhaps it was not, perhaps--" + +"No, mamma," Percy said, "from some particulars he gave, and from +what he said, I feel almost sure--I may say I am quite sure--it is +Ralph. I would not say so, you know, unless I felt very certain." + +Mrs. Barclay felt that he would not, and fell into her husband's +arms, crying softly with happiness. + +Milly was no longer in the room. She had caught the glance between +her father and Percy, and had rightly interpreted it. She had risen +to her feet, but a warning gesture from Captain Barclay had checked +the cry of gladness on her lips; and she had stolen quietly from +the room, closed the door noiselessly, had flown to the front door +and out into the road beyond, and was now crying happily in Ralph's +arms. + +"And when do you think he can get here, Richard?" Mrs. Barclay +asked her husband. + +"Soon, dear--quite soon," he answered. "He may come tomorrow. He +would be certain to come almost as quickly as the news." + +"Oh, how happy I am!" Mrs. Barclay said. "Thank God for His +mercies! To think that, tomorrow, I may have both my boys back +again." + +"Will there be another train in, tonight, Percy?" Captain Barclay +asked. + +"Quite possibly," Percy said; "indeed, indeed,"--and he +hesitated--"you see, I walked up fast; it is just possible that he +may have arrived by this train." + +Mrs. Barclay understood now. + +"He is come," she exclaimed, looking up. "I know it, now." + +Captain Barclay took her up in his arms. + +"You can bear it, can't you, Melanie? Yes, dear, he has come." + +Percy saw that it was safe now. He went to the door, and opened it. +Ralph was standing outside, in readiness; and in another moment his +mother was in his arms. + +Later in the evening, Captain Barclay said to Ralph: + +"I suppose tomorrow you will obtain a medical certificate, and +write to General Chanzy: saying that you are alive, but unable to +rejoin?" + +"Yes," Ralph answered, "I suppose that will be the best plan. I +must have a month's rest." + +"That means, my dear boy, that you will not have to go out any +more. Another month will see the end of the struggle--or at any +rate, if the end has not absolutely arrived, it will be +unmistakable. + +"The game is, I am convinced, altogether lost. A fortnight ago, I +had still hope. Chanzy and Bourbaki had each an army, nearly or +quite equal to that of Prince Frederick Charles. He could not +attack one in force, without leaving the road to Paris open to the +other. + +"Bourbaki has come upon this mad expedition to the east; and you +will see Prince Frederick Charles will throw his whole strength +upon Chanzy, crush him, and then attend to Bourbaki. Bourbaki may +relieve Belfort, but in that corner of France what is he to do? +Prussian reinforcements are coming down to Werder, every day. +Troops are marching on this town from Paris and, if Bourbaki is not +wonderfully quick, we shall have another Sedan here. + +"After the defeat of these, the last two armies of France, it would +be madness to continue the war. Paris must surrender, for there +would be no further possibility of relief; and there would be no +advantage, whatever, in enduring further sufferings. + +"No, my boys, I said 'Go' when I thought that there was a +possibility of saving France. You have done your duty--more than +your duty. It would be worse than folly--it would be wickedness--to +voluntarily put your lives into danger, when success has ceased to +be possible. I should be the last man to hinder you from what was +your duty. I said 'Go' before, when few fathers would have said so. +I would say 'Go' again, now, if your duty called you; but as you +can both obtain sick leave, for another six weeks, I say take that +leave. Do not do more than your duty, for heroism is now of no use +to France." + +"I agree with you altogether, papa," Ralph said. "I have seen, and +had, quite enough fighting for my lifetime. Of course, if the war +goes on Percy and I, as officers, must return to our duty, but I am +willing to obtain all the sick leave I can get; for although I +still believe in the individual bravery of the French soldiers, I +am quite convinced that it is altogether out of the question +that--with their want of organization, want of generals, want of +officers, want of discipline, want of everything--they can drive +out the magnificent armies of Germany. + +"Has Percy got his leave extended?" + +"Yes," Percy said; "I am fairly well, but I am still shaky. I have +not quite got over that swim; and the surgeon said, without my +applying for it, that I must have prolonged rest so, at the end of +the month, he extended it for two months longer. + +"I thoroughly agree with you both. We have had quite enough of it. +We shall always have the satisfaction that we did our duty to +France, and our rank; and these ribbons,"--and he touched the +rosette of the legion of honor, in his buttonhole--"will prove that +we have distinguished ourselves. We have had great good fortune, +hitherto; it might turn, next time." + +And so it was settled that the boys should remain at home, for the +next two months; by which time they agreed, with their father, the +resistance would be fairly worn out. Ralph wrote to General Chanzy, +relating the whole circumstances of his absence. General Chanzy +wrote in reply--in spite of the demands upon his time--saying how +pleased he was that Ralph had escaped, as he had quite given him +up. He ended his note by saying that he had already mentioned his +name, in dispatches, and should now make a fresh report. + +Colonel Tempe--or rather General Tempe, for he now commanded a +brigade--wrote also to congratulate him. One portion of his letter +contained bad news; for he mentioned that Tim had lost an arm, at +the battle of the 8th December, but that he was now doing well. + +Those were exciting days at Dijon. The news of the victory at +Villersexel, followed by the fighting which ended in the capture of +Montbeliard; and then the obstinate contests near Belfort, when +Bourbaki in vain endeavored to drive back the Germans, and to +relieve the besieged town--all this kept the excitement up, at +fever heat. + +It was not fated that the war should end without the boys seeing +service once more for, upon the 21st, heavy firing was heard upon +the northwest of Dijon. The Barclays' house was on the southwest of +the town. Upon the northwest the ground rises in two steep +hills--or rather one steep hill, with two summits about a mile +apart. One of these summits is called Talant, the other Fontaine +les Dijon. Behind the latter, and upon even higher ground--at a +distance of two and three miles, respectively--lay the villages of +Daix and Hauteville. + +It was about ten o'clock in the morning that the boys heard the +faint boom of a cannon. + +"Listen, papa," Percy shouted; "there are cannon. The Prussians are +attacking the heights, on the other side." + +Captain Barclay came out into the garden, and listened for a while +with them. The enemy had taken up positions upon some of the +numerous heights surrounding, and were playing upon the batteries +at Talant, Fontaine les Dijon, Daix, and Hauteville. The French +replied vigorously; and it was evident that they were stronger, in +artillery, than were the enemy. + +"I fancy," Captain Barclay said, "that it is no attack. It is +merely, I think, a fire opened to occupy our attention; in order +that a body of troops may pass along to the northward of Dijon, to +fall upon Bourbaki's rear. However, my place is with my company of +national guards. There is no fear of an attack, at present; but +they will get under arms no doubt." + +"We will go down into the town with you, papa." + +The firing continued until five o'clock, when it gradually died +away, the Germans retiring. An hour later, the greater portion of +the troops marched back to the town. The enemy, they reported, were +not over 15,000 strong while, in all, the Garibaldians and +mobilized national guards in the town were 30,000 to 40,000 strong. +The French were also much stronger in artillery. + +Captain Barclay returned home with the boys. They sat up late, +talking over the affair, and it was nearly midnight when they went +up to their rooms. Suddenly, they were startled by a fresh outburst +of fire upon the heights. In a minute or two, all the household +were in the garden. + +"It is a night attack," Captain Barclay said; "and judging by the +sound, they are in earnest. I can hear musketry, as well as +artillery." + +As they listened, it came nearer. + +"They have taken Daix and Hauteville," Ralph said. "What shall we +do, papa? We can't stay here, quiet. It is our plain duty to go +down, and report ourselves to General Pelissier." + +"I think you ought to do so," Captain Barclay answered, gravely. + +The boys went off to put on their uniforms--for Ralph had replaced +the one he had left behind, in the cottage near Orleans. + +"I do not think you need be uneasy, Melanie," Captain Barclay said +to his wife. "It is our duty to go; but I hardly think that they +can have been reinforced in sufficient strength to attack the +town." + +The boys were soon down. + +"Goodbye, mamma; goodbye, Milly. Don't be alarmed about us. We have +no horses, and there can be no risk of our being sent on any +perilous service, tonight." + +Two silent kisses, and then father and sons hurried away towards +the town. + +"They have taken Fontaine les Dijon," Ralph said. "We shall soon +see if they are in earnest." + +Dijon they found in utter confusion. Mounted orderlies galloped +about. The troops were all under arms. Engineers were at work, +crenelating the walls and houses upon the side threatened with +attack. General Garibaldi was sitting in his carriage, in readiness +to move in any direction, instantly. General Pelissier--who +commanded the mobilized guards--was in his office, and staff +officers came in and out with reports, every five minutes. + +The boys entered, and briefly reported themselves for service. They +had already reported their presence in the place, upon their +arrival. + +"Thank you, gentlemen," he said. "I do not think that you can be of +any use, just at present; but if the Germans press the attack, I +shall be greatly obliged. In that case, please dismount two of the +orderlies, and take their horses." + +The night passed off, however, quietly. The Germans, satisfied with +the advantage, remained in the positions they had taken; and the +French prepared to drive them back again, in the morning. + +At daybreak, the troops began to pour out from the town; and the +cannonade commenced with greater fury on both sides. Two of the +orderlies, in obedience to General Pelissier's orders, gave up +their horses to the Barclays; who rode out with the general's +staff. The Prussians had evidently been reinforced, in the night; +but the French nevertheless gained ground, gradually. After several +hours' heavy cannonading, the Mobilises were ordered to take the +position of Fontaine les Dijon, with the bayonet. Three +Zouaves--who happened to be present--took their places at the head +of the column and, at the double, they went up the hill amidst a +storm of shot and shell. The Germans did not await the assault, but +fell back upon Daix. + +The spirit of the Mobilises was now up and, still led by the three +Zouaves, they dashed forward. The resistance here was obstinate; +but the Germans were driven back, with great loss. The pursuers +gave them no rest; but went forward at the double, and drove them +out of Hauteville at the bayonet's point, thus winning back all the +positions lost in the night. The Barclays had little to do during +the affair as, after the orders had once been given, the spirit of +the troops carried them on over everything. The loss upon both +sides was considerable, and one of General Werder's sons was among +the prisoners taken by the French. + +The fight over, the boys returned home for a few hours. Their +father had come in half an hour before them. + +The next morning they returned, at daybreak, to Dijon. The +Prussians had received considerable reinforcements, in the night; +and had executed a long detour, advancing this time by the Langres +Road, nearly due north of the city. They left the road and took up +their position upon a plateau, near the village of Pouilly, about +three miles from Dijon. The French positions were about a mile +nearer to the town, extending from the foot of Fontaine les Dijon +through the villages of Saint Marten, and Fontaine. + +From the morning, until three in the day, a heavy artillery fire +was kept up, on both sides. At that hour, the Prussians gave signs +of an intention to advance. Their artillery took up fresh +positions, their fire increased in rapidity, and it was evident +that the crisis of the day was at hand. Up to this time, the boys +had had but little to do. Sitting on their horses, or leaning +against them, they had chatted with the officers of the general +staff. At this period, however, General Garibaldi drew up; and +there was a brief consultation between him and General Pelissier. A +few hasty orders were given and, in an instant, the whole of the +staff were dashing away to different parts of the ground. + +"Charge in line!" was the order and, forming shoulder to shoulder, +the Garibaldians and Mobiles moved forward in a grand line, a mile +and a half long; uttering loud and inspiriting cheers. The boys had +been sent to the regiments next to each other and, their message +delivered, they joined each other and rode on with the advancing +line. + +"This is grand, Ralph," Percy said, enthusiastically. "We have seen +a good many defeats. We are going to wind up with a victory, at +last." + +For a while the Germans stood their ground, pouring a shower of +shot and shell into the advancing French; but the dash and go of +the latter--excited by their successes of the two preceding +days--were irresistible. The Germans wavered and fell back as the +French advanced and, from that moment, the fate of the day was +decided. Isolated German regiments fought desperately, but in vain. +The French pushed them back, from position to position, until +nightfall covered the retreat. + +The German loss was very heavy; and the French, in addition to a +considerable number of prisoners, had the satisfaction of taking a +German color--the only one captured throughout the war. + +This was the last fight in which the Barclays took part during the +war. The boys escaped unhurt; as did their father, who had joined +one of the regiments of Mobiles, and had advanced with them. + +The events followed fast, day after day. In rapid succession, they +heard of the defeat of Chanzy at Le Mans, the retreat of Bourbaki; +the terrible sufferings of the troops, as they fell back upon the +Swiss frontier, for refuge. Simultaneously with the news of this +retreat came the intelligence of the surrender of Paris, and of the +armistice and, grieving over France's misfortune, they were yet +heartily rejoiced that the hopeless contest was over. + +No sooner were the preliminaries of peace signed than Captain +Barclay carried out his intention of leaving for England. Monsieur +Duburg had already agreed to purchase the cottage, and adjoining +grounds; which he intends for Louis, when he marries. The Barclays +were sorry to leave their uncle and cousins, but there was no great +grief with reference to the separation from Madame Duburg. + +General Tempe they parted from with regret. That officer's fighting +days were over, for he lost a leg in the battle before Le Mans. + +Ralph obtained the step as major, in consequence of General +Chanzy's report in his favor, but he never put on the uniform of +the rank; nor is it likely that he ever will do so, although he +hopes, some day, to attain the grade in the British service. He is +at present studying hard for an examination in the artillery which, +if practical knowledge goes for anything, he is pretty certain to get. + +Percy has had enough of fighting, and his present idea is that he +shall go to the Bar; but he has plenty of time before him, yet. +Both never boast of their achievements--indeed, are straightforward, +unaffected English lads, still--and it is only to intimate friends +that they ever speak of their adventures in the war. + +The Barclays live now a short distance out of London; and the pony +chaise in which Captain Barclay drives his wife and Milly can be +seen, any day, on the Richmond road. If you stop and watch it turn +into the little drive, up to the house, you will observe that a +one-armed man--who has previously been busy in the garden--throws +down his spade, and takes the ponies off to the stables and, should +he not happen to be at the front of the house, as the ponies draw +up, you will hear Milly summon him with a loud call of "Tim!" + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Young Franc Tireurs, by G. A. 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