ght they took it in turns
with the other staff officers to be on duty--that is to say, to lie
down to sleep in uniform, with the horse saddled at the door, in
readiness to start at an instant's notice.

Tim's duties as an orderly were not heavy, and were generally over
by five o'clock; after which he acted as servant to the boys. It
was impossible, under the circumstances, for the staff to mess
together, as usual. There was neither a room available nor, indeed,
any of the appliances. Among Tim's other duties, therefore, was
that of cooking. They had also another orderly allotted to them,
and he devoted himself to the care of the horses; Tim undertaking
all other work.

The boys liked their new duties much. The work was hard, but
pleasant. Their fellow officers were pleasant companions, and their
general most kind, and genial.

A week after they had joined, General Cambriels advanced into the
Vosges to oppose the Prussians, who were marching south. The
progress of the army was slow, for they had to carry what supplies
they required with them. Colonel Tempe kept, with his command, a
few hours' march ahead; and one or other of the boys was frequently
dispatched with orders, etc. to obtain reports from him.

After three days' marching, they neared the enemy. All was now
watchfulness, and excitement. The franc tireurs were already
engaged in skirmishing and, early one morning, Ralph received
orders to ride forward and reconnoiter the enemy's position.
Passing through the posts of franc tireurs, he rode cautiously
along the road; with his hand on the butt of his revolver, and his
horse well in hand--ready to turn and ride for his life, on an
instant's notice.

Presently, as the road wound through a narrow gorge, lined with
trees, he heard a voice say, close in his ear, "Stop!"

He reined in his horse, and drew his pistol. The leaves parted; and
a man of some sixty years of age, armed with an old double-barreled
fowling piece, stepped out.

"The Germans are just beyond," he said. "I expect them every
moment."

"And what are you doing here?" Ralph asked.

"What am I doing?" repeated the peasant. "I am waiting to shoot
some of them."

"But they will hang you, to a certainty, if they catch you."

"Let them," the old man said, quietly; "they will do me no more
harm than they have done me. I had a nice farm, near Metz. I lived
there with my wife and daughter, and my three boys. Someone fired
at the Prussians from a