cles, and put them on.

It was now twelve o'clock--the preparations having taken them three
hours--and they went to the cafe where they were to meet Colonel
Tempe, to breakfast. He was already there, and they walked up to
the table where he was sitting.

"These seats are engaged," Colonel Tempe said, shortly.

The Barclays sat down at the next table; and called, in a foreign
accent, for two glasses of beer. Then they spoke together, for some
little time, about a journey from Saint Malo which they had just
made; and Ralph then turned to Colonel Tempe, still speaking French
with a strong foreign accent.

"Pardon me, colonel," he said, "we have just arrived from England.
We have a very large quantity of army shoes, and I should feel
under a great obligation if you could inform me who is the proper
person to whom to apply."

Colonel Tempe at once informed them, adding:

"If your shoes are good ones, and the price fair, and you can
deliver them soon, you will not have to wait long; for they are
greatly wanted."

"We have also some harness, for artillery horses," Ralph added.

"I do not know about that," the colonel said; "but you will obtain
all information from the officer I have mentioned."

"Thank you very much," Ralph said, and returned to his seat.

Colonel Tempe looked at his watch, a little impatiently. Ralph,
after a minute or two, again approached him.

"Don't you think we may as well have breakfast, colonel?" he said,
in his natural voice.

The colonel looked at him, in speechless surprise.

"So the disguises are pretty good?" Ralph said, smiling.

"Impossible!" the colonel exclaimed. "Do my eyes or my ears deceive
me? Can it really be--?"

"It's us, sure enough, colonel; and now, I suppose we may as well
sit down."

So saying, the boys took their seats at the table; but Colonel
Tempe still looked from one to the other, in astonishment.

"Wonderful!" he at last said, "wonderful! Even now I know who it
is, I do not see the faintest possible resemblance.

"Percy is, of course, less altered than you are, Ralph, because he
is still young looking; but even now I should not recognize him. As
for you, with that wonderful head of hair, and that beard, you look
fifty; and as unlike yourself as possible. Upon my word, if it were
anywhere else but here in Tours--where there are all sorts of
oddities--I should be ashamed, as a colonel in the army, to sit
down to table with you."

"You are a little ash