d made Pierrette a new dress, and Pierre a
new blouse, to wear on the great occasion, and when the day finally
came, the children searched the fields to find flowers for a bouquet
for the Commandant; since they had no other birthday gift to offer him.

At three o'clock in the afternoon the whole village was ready to start.
Mademoiselle drove the truck with the old people and little children
sitting in it on heaps of straw. Kathleen was the driver of the Ford
car, and had as passengers Father Meraut, because he was lame, and
Grandpere because he was Grandpere, and the Twins because it was their
birthday; and everybody else walked.

When they reached the camp, they found Jim and Uncle Sam ready to act
as guard of honor to conduct them to the Commandant, who, with the
Captain beside him, waited to receive them beside the flagstaff at the
reviewing-stand of the parade-ground. It seemed very strange to Pierre
and Pierrette that they should walk before their parents, and even
before the Doctor and Mademoiselle, but Uncle Sam and Jim arranged the
procession, and placed them at its head. So, carrying their bouquet of
flowers, they followed obediently where their escort led. "Now, kids,"
said Uncle Sam in a low voice as they neared the reviewing-stand, "walk
right up and mind your manners. Salute and give him the bouquet, and
speak your piece."

"We haven't any piece to speak," quavered Pierrette, very much
frightened, "except to wish him many happy returns of his birthday."

Uncle Sam's eyes twinkled. "That'll do all right," he said; only of
course he said it in French.

The regiment was massed before the reviewing-stand as the little
company came forward to meet their host, and when at last Pierre and
Pierrette stood before the Commandant, with the beautiful flag of
France floating over them, though they had been fearless under
shell-fire, their knees knocked together with fright, and it was in a
very small voice that they said, together, "Bonjour, Monsieur le
Commandant, accept these flowers and our best wishes for many happy
returns of your birthday."

The Commandant took the flowers and smiled down at them. "It is not my
birthday, my little ones," he said gently, "it is the birthday of our
glorious France and of two of her brave soldiers, Pierre and Pierrette
Meraut, as well, and the Foreign Legion is here to celebrate it! Come
up here beside me." He drew them up beside him on the reviewing-stand
and turned their ast