boughs; and the Maire,
with many of the leading inhabitants, was at the station to receive
them. The corps formed upon the platform; and then marched through
the little town to the Hotel de Ville, loudly cheered by the people
as they passed along. Here they were dismissed, with the order to
parade again at half-past four in the morning.

There was no trouble as to billets for the night, as the Maire had
already made out a list of the inhabitants who had offered
accommodation--the number being greatly in excess of the strength
of the corps. These persons now came forward, and each took off the
number of franc tireurs who had been allotted to them.

The sergeant of the first company, knowing the relationship and
friendship of the young Barclays and Duburgs, had promised them
that--when practicable--he would always quarter them together. Upon
the present occasion, the four were handed over to a gentleman
whose house was a short distance outside the town. Upon the way, he
chatted to them on the proposed course of the corps, upon its
organization and discipline; and they asked for the first time the
question which was so often, in future, to be upon their lips:

"Had he any news of the enemy?"

The answer was that none, as yet, had come south of Luneville; and
that indeed, at present they were too much occupied at Metz, and
Strasburg, to be able to detach any formidable parties. Small
bodies of Uhlans occasionally had made raids, and driven in sheep
and cattle; but they had not ventured to trust themselves very far
into the mountains.

Upon arriving at the residence of their host, they were most kindly
received by his wife and daughter; who, however, could not refrain
from expressing their surprise at the youthfulness of their guests.

"But these are mere boys!" the lady said to her husband, in German;
"are all the franc tireurs like these?"

"Oh no," her husband said, in the same language, "the greater part
are sturdy fellows but, as they marched by, I observed some twelve
or fourteen who were scarcely out of their boyhood.

"It is cruelty to send such youngsters out as these. What can they
do against these Prussians, who have beaten our best soldiers?"

"Fortunately," Ralph said in German--which he spoke fluently, as
has already been stated--and with a merry laugh--which showed that
he was not offended at the remark--"fortunately, fighting now is
not an affair of spears and battle axes Age has nothing to do with