the risk of
being detected."

"But I shall not expect you to succeed, Campbell; the chances are
a hundred to one against it. I should be glad, however, to have the
experiment tried once again, so that if the garrison capitulates before
we arrive to its succour, I shall not be able to blame myself for not
having made one more effort to induce them to hold out for another few
weeks. Have you thought of your plans?"

"Only so far, sir, that we shall dress up as two country boys, cross the
Po, and enter the city from the other side. After that we must be guided
by circumstances and trust to good luck. May I ask, general, if you have
a plan of the city and fortress?"

"Yes; at least the duchess has one, which she has placed at my disposal.
I can send an officer to the palace to request her to let me have it.
No doubt it would be a great advantage to you to study the position
beforehand."

"Well, sir, we will see about getting our disguises at once."

"I will give you an order on the paymaster for a hundred crowns for
special service," Turenne said. "It is as well to be amply provided with
money, as it may be necessary to buy fresh disguises or to bribe someone
to conceal you;" and he drew an order on the treasury and handed it to
Hector.

"You will find the plan of the town in your room when you return."

Paolo was waiting for him.

"It is settled, Paolo; we are to go."

"This is an adventure after my own heart," the boy said with delight.
"It will be great fun to outwit the Spaniards."

"Yes, but we must mind that they don't outwit us, Paolo, which is quite
as likely. Now let us talk of our disguises again. I think you had
better go and buy them. I would rather get old ones than new. I don't
suppose that anyone is likely to take notice of me in the streets, but
it would be well at any rate that we should not both have new clothes,
and better that neither of us did so."

"I can manage that, sir. There are shops here where one can buy old
clothes as well as new ones. I noticed one the other day in a narrow
street by the wall. I wondered then who would buy some of the garments
hung up. They were so old and so often mended that it was difficult to
say what was the original colour. The people are very poor up in the
mountains; since the war began, doubtless they have grown poorer, and
are glad to buy anything that will cover them."

"Well, here are ten crowns."

"They won't cost half that, master, but I will tak