CHAPTER XI.

A FIGHT IN THE VOSGES.

PON Colonel Tempé'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 other would with the newly-made Captain be attached to other corps. The two Barclays would receive commission as officers on the Staff of General Cambriels himself.

The Young Officer.

171 When Colonel Tempé 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 Tempé 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 favourites 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 to-night 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 honour, ain't yer going to lave us? What am I going to do at all?”

The boys hurried away without reply, for Colonel Tempé was waiting for them, and on the way to head quarters 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 Tempé 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 on an 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 an 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 upon 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.

A Happy Return.

173

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 life time 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."

66

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 Tempé'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 M. 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