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 any one 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 XIV.

A PERILOUS EXPEDITION.

PON the eleventh of November the boys arrived at Tours. They had started for that place as the national head-quarters, 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 Tempé. 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.”

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But what are you doing here, Colonel?"

"Just at present I am working at head-quarters. 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 to-day, 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 arm-chair or the hearthrug, 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 Tempé 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'hôte 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 café literally crowded with officers, and thence to Colonel Tempé's room, 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 favour 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 every thing 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