he soldiers, entering, began
poking about with their bayonets, running them under the bed, and
through the bedding, in a way likely to kill anybody concealed.

Jeannette's little room was visited and treated in the same manner.

"And what's this room?" asked the sergeant, pointing to the boys' room.

"That? That is a closet," answered the dame; "or if you like it, the
general and admiral are both there fast asleep, but I am unwilling to
disturb them."

She said this in a laughing tone, as if she were joking.

"Well, open the door," said the sergeant, not expecting to find anybody.

"But I tell you the door is locked. Who has got the key, I wonder?"
said the dame.

"Come, come, unlock the door, or we must force it open," said the
sergeant, making as if he was about to prise it open with his bayonet.

On this the dame pulled the key out of her pocket, and opening the door,
exclaimed--

"There in one bed you will find the general, and in the other the
admiral; or, without joking, they are two poor boys whom my good man
picked up at sea, and already they are more French than English."

The sergeant, looking into the beds, discovered the boys.

"Come, get up, mes garcons," he said; "you must come with me, whoever
you are, and give an account of yourselves."

Neither of the boys made any reply, deeming it wiser to keep silence.

"Come along," he said; and he dragged first one, and then the other, out
of bed.

"Bring the boys' clothes," he added, turning to the dame, who quickly
brought their original suits.

They soon dressed themselves, hanging their knives round their necks.

"I told you the truth. You see who and what they are!" exclaimed the
dame.

Jeannette, too, pleaded eloquently on their behalf, but the sergeant was
unmoved.

"All you say may be right, but I must take them," he answered. "Come--
quick march!"

He allowed them, however, to take an affectionate farewell of the dame
and Jeannette, the latter bursting into tears as she saw them dragged
off by the soldiers.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

SHUT UP IN A TOWER.

Jack and Bill marched along in the middle of the party of soldiers,
endeavouring, as well as they could, to keep up their spirits, and to
appear unconcerned. Where they were going they could not tell.

"Jack," whispered Bill, "don't let these fellows know that we understand
French. We may learn something from what they say to each other; and
they are not likely to tell us the