ea of the enterprise.

Ten minutes later, they entered the Prefecture. Colonel Tempe went
in at once to see Gambetta, while the boys remained in the
anteroom. In ten minutes their friend came out again, and beckoned
to them to come into the next room.

"These are the Lieutenants Barclay," he said.

The boys bowed; and examined, with attentive curiosity, the man who
was, at that time, the absolute ruler of France. A dark man; with a
short black beard, keen eyes, and a look of self reliance and
energy. A man who committed endless mistakes, but who was the life
and soul of the French resistance. A man to whom--had he lived in
olden times--the Romans would have erected a statue because, in her
deepest misfortunes, he never despaired of the Republic.

He looked keenly at the young men.

"Colonel Tempe tells me that you have rendered very great service,
by going among the enemy in disguise; and that you are willing to
make an attempt to carry dispatches into Paris."

"We are ready to try," Ralph said, respectfully; "but after talking
it over in every way, we can see but one disguise which would
enable us to penetrate the enemy's lines, near enough to the ground
between the two armies to render an attempt possible; and even that
disguise will be useless, unless we can procure certain papers."

"What is your plan?" Monsieur Gambetta asked.

"We intend to go as German Jews," Ralph said. "The Prussians strip
all the clocks, pictures, and furniture of any value from the
villas they occupy, and send them back to Germany. There are a
number of Jews who follow the army; and either buy these stolen
goods from them, or undertake to convey them back to Germany at a
certain price. Several of these Jews--with their wagons full of
clocks, and other articles--have been captured by our franc tireurs
or troops and, no doubt, papers of some kind have been found upon
them. These papers would naturally be sent here. If we could be
provided with them we could, I have little doubt, penetrate their
lines."

"An excellent idea," the minister said. "I have no doubt that we
have such papers."

And he struck a small hand bell on the table. An attendant entered.

"Tell Captain Verre I wish to speak to him."

"Captain Verre," he said, when that officer entered, "there were
some papers came last week, from General Faidherbe, relative to
those wagons--laden with clocks, ladies' dresses, and so on--that
were captured near Mezieres. Just look