place of assembly. Most of the men were already upon the spot, and
the bugler was blowing lustily. In another five minutes all were
assembled; including Tim Doyle, with his horse and cart.

"Good-morning, Tim," the boys said, as they came up to him. "I hope
you had as comfortable quarters as we had, last night."

"Splendid, your honor--downright splendid; a supper fit for a lord,
and a bed big enough for a duchess."

The boys laughed at the idea of a duchess wanting a bed bigger than
anyone else, and Tim went on:

"Ah, your honor, if campaigning was all like this, sure I'd
campaign all my life, and thank you; but it's many a time I shall
look back upon my big supper, and big bed. Not that I should like
it altogether entirely; I should get so fat, and so lazy, that I
shouldn't know my own shadow."

And now the bugle sounded again, and the men fell in. As they
started, they struck up a lively marching song; and several windows
opened, and adieus were waved to them as they passed down the
street into the open country. Everyone was in high spirits. The
weather, which had for some time been unfavorable, had cleared up;
the sun was rising brightly, and they felt that they had fairly
started for work. The road was rough, the country wild and
mountainous, thick forests extended in every direction, as far as
the eye could carry.

"There is one comfort, Percy," Ralph said, "if we are beaten and
driven back, we might get into this forest, and laugh at the
Prussians."

Percy cast rather a doubtful eye at the dark woods.

"The Prussians might not be able to discover us, Ralph; but I would
as leave be killed by Prussian balls as die of hunger, and our
chances of getting food there, for a hundred men, would be very
slight."

"They don't look hospitable, certainly, Percy. I agree with you. We
had better keep in the open country, as long as possible."

The first village at which they arrived was Deyvilliers. Here a
halt was called for ten minutes, five miles having already been
marched. Many of the men--less fortunate than the Barclays and
Duburgs--had had nothing to eat upon starting and, when the arms
were piled, there was a general dispersal through the village, in
search of provisions. Bread had been bought over night, at Epinal,
and brought on in the cart; which was fortunate, for the village
was a very small one, and there would have been a difficulty in
obtaining more than a loaf or two. Cheese and fruit were in
ab