ave not got such a thing," the hairdresser said, "but I know a
man who keeps them. I will get it for you, in a quarter of an
hour."

In a few minutes Percy returned, with a boy with Ralph's clothes.
In a short time they were ready to start.

"You do look a strange object, Ralph."

"Never mind, Percy, there are plenty of strange objects here. No
one will notice me."

Then saying that they would call in again in half an hour, for the
beard, they went to a chemist's; from whom--after some talk--they
obtained a mixture to give a slightly brown tinge to their faces.

They now dived into the back streets of the town, found a
second-hand clothes shop, and speedily got the articles they
required. Ralph had a long greatcoat, with a fur collar; and a pair
of high boots, coming up to his knees and to be worn over the
trousers. A black fur cap completed his costume. Percy had a black
cap, made of rough cloth, with a peak and with flaps to come down
over the ears; an old greatcoat, with fur round the pockets and
collar; a bright-colored handkerchief, to go two or three times
round the neck; and high boots like those of Ralph.

They then returned to the hairdresser, and Ralph insisted that the
beard and mustache should be fastened on not only in the ordinary
manner--with springs--but with cobbler's wax.

"My life," he said, "might depend upon the things not slipping, at
any moment."

They now went home. The moment that they entered their rooms, Ralph
exclaimed:

"Why, we have forgotten all about Tim!"

"So we have," Percy said. "He was to have met us in front of the
railway station at nine o'clock and, of course, he has no idea
where to find us. I will go there. Very likely the poor fellow is
waiting still."

Percy hurried off; and found Tim, as he had expected, sitting upon
the steps going up to the railway station. He jumped up, with a cry
of joy, upon seeing Percy.

"The Vargin be praised, Mister Percy! I began to think that you
must have been sent off somewhere, without time to warn me; and I
couldn't, for the life of me, make out what to do."

"We have not gone, Tim," Percy said, not wishing to hurt the
attached fellow's feelings, by telling him that he had been
forgotten; "but we are starting tomorrow. I will tell you all about
it, when we get in. We have been to see Monsieur Gambetta, this
morning and, do you know, we met Colonel Tempe last night, and are
stopping in his rooms."

So saying, he walked along