was heard in the wood, "Thirty-one!" and then
all was still.

"That's the old fellow who saved my life, ten days ago, Percy,"
Ralph said; "and by Jove! much obliged to him as I was, then, I do
think that I am more grateful now."

Finding that the shots were not repeated, some twenty or thirty
skirmishers were sent into the woods; but returned, in ten minutes,
without finding any trace of the man who had shot the major.

The lieutenant now took the command. There was a continuation of
the halt, for ten minutes, while the major was hastily buried by
the roadside; a rough cross being put up to mark the spot, and a
deep cross cut made in the two nearest trees so that, even if the
cross were overthrown, the place of the burial might be found
afterwards, if necessary. Then the corps marched on again.

The first use which the lieutenant made of his authority--even
before giving directions for the burial--was to order the cords of
the prisoners to be cut. Then the corps continued its march and, by
the brightened faces of the men, it could be seen easily enough how
unpopular their late commander had been; and that they cherished
but slight animosity against the slayer. In a short time they
struck up one of their marching songs and--prisoners as they
were--the Barclays could not but admire the steady, martial bearing
of the men, as they strode along, making the woods echo with the
deep chorus.

In three hours' march they reached the village which the troops had
left, the evening before, to surprise the franc tireurs; having, as
Ralph had learned from the lieutenant in command, received
information from a spy of their arrival at the village, late at
night; and having started at once, under his guidance.

Here a considerable German force was assembled. The prisoners were
not unkindly treated; but Tim Doyle was, of course, separated from
them. Some astonishment was expressed at their youth; but it was
assumed that they had been pupils at Saint Cyr or the Polytechnic,
many of whom received commissions owing to the impossibility of
finding officers for the immense new levies. Several of the
officers came in to chat with them and, as these had been also
engaged in the fights, ten days before, there were many questions
to ask, upon either side.

The boys learned that they would be sent on, next day; would be
marched to Luneville, and sent thence by train.

"They are a fine set of fellows," Ralph said, when their last
visitor