stinguish uniforms.

"We are officers of the army, upon General Cambriels' staff. This
man is an orderly.

"Here are our swords. We surrender, as prisoners of war."

The German officer bowed.

"Keep your swords, for the present, gentlemen. I am not in
command."

At this moment, another officer came up.

"Who have we here, Von Hersen? Why do you make prisoners?"

"They are two staff officers, major."

"Hem," said the major, doubtfully.

"Well, if you are an officer," he continued, "order your men to
cease their resistance."

The franc tireurs, most of whom had taken refuge in the same
cottage, were still defending themselves desperately; and were
keeping up a heavy fire, from the windows.

"I will order them to surrender, at once," Ralph said, quietly; "if
you give me your word that they shall be treated as prisoners of
war."

"I will do nothing of the sort, sir," the German answered.

"Then I shall certainly not advise them to surrender," Ralph said,
firmly. "I have no authority, whatever, over them; but if I give
advice, it would be that they should sell their lives as dearly as
possible."

The officer swore a deep German oath, and strode off. For five more
minutes the fight continued round the cottage, many of the Germans
falling; then a rush was made, there was a fierce contest inside
the house--shouts, shrieks, cries for mercy--and then all was
still.

The young Barclays and Tim were now told to sit down near a tree,
at a short distance off; with two sentries, with loaded rifles,
standing over them. The German soldiers took from the houses what
few articles they fancied, and then set fire to them; sitting down
and eating their breakfast as the flames shot up. At a short
distance from where the Barclays were sitting was a group of some
eight or ten franc tireurs, and six or seven peasants, guarded by
some soldiers.

Near them the German major and two lieutenants were talking. One of
the young men appeared to take little interest in the conversation;
but the other was evidently urging some point, with great
earnestness; and the major was equally plainly refusing his
request, for he stamped his foot angrily, and shook his head.

"What a type that major is, of the brutal species of German," Ralph
said. "One used to meet them, sometimes. Their officers are either
particularly nice fellows, mere machines, or great brutes;
apparently we have a specimen of each of them, here."

The officers passed