st route towards Versailles.
We shall, of necessity, be guided by the position of the Germans."

"You have not breakfasted, of course?" the colonel said. "I was
just going to sit down, when you came in; for I go out to the front
at ten, and it is half-past nine, now. You will have no chance of
getting anything, before you arrive at Montargis.

"I can introduce you to the officer who will accompany you."

The boys readily accepted the invitation, and at once followed the
colonel into another room; where breakfast was laid, and several
officers of the staff were waiting for the arrival of the colonel,
to begin. There was a general look of surprise, when he entered
with two strange-looking Jews; which was not a little increased
when he said:

"Gentlemen, the Lieutenants Barclay. You look surprised; but your
astonishment will cease when I tell you that they are upon an
important mission, and do not look like themselves. And now to
table, for they have to start in ten minutes.

"Captain Duprat, let me make you specially acquainted with these
gentlemen. They are bound for Montargis, and you will see them
through our outposts."

In another quarter of an hour, the boys were issuing from the
streets of Orleans; and were soon going along, at a hand gallop, by
the road along the banks of the Loire; while to the north stretched
the flat and densely-wooded country known as the Forest of Orleans.
As far as Chateauneuf they kept near the river. Here they halted
half an hour, to give breathing time to their horses; then started
again, and rode fast to Bellegarde. Here was the last post of
regular troops, but Cathlineau's franc tireurs were scattered
throughout the country, as far as Montargis; and it would have been
more difficult for the Barclays to have passed through them than
through the regular troops, as they had less respect for passes.

After another halt, they again started; and Captain Duprat
accompanied them as far as Montargis, where there was a small body
of franc tireurs. Captain Duprat's orders were to sleep at
Montargis, and then return to Chateauneuf the next day.

The boys felt rather stiff and tired, as they rode into Montargis;
for they had not been on horseback since the day when they were
taken prisoners, in the Vosges, and they had ridden forty miles
since breakfast. They would, however, have willingly pushed on
another twenty miles; but their horses had even a longer day's work
before them, on the mor