l, if you
feel it so, I will not stand in your way.

"Go then, my boys, and may God watch over you, and keep you, and
send you safe home again."

So saying, he kissed them both on the forehead, and walked from the
room without saying another word.

Then the boys turned to their mother, who was crying silently and,
falling upon her neck, they kissed her and cried with her. It was
understood that her consent was given, with their father's.

Milly, coming in and hearing what was the matter, sat down in
sudden grief and astonishment on the nearest chair, and cried
bitterly. It was a sad half hour, and the boys were almost inclined
to regret that they had asked for leave to go. However, there was
no drawing back now and, when they left their mother, they went on
to tell their cousins that they were going.

They found Louis and Philippe in a state of great disappointment,
because their father had altogether refused to listen to their
entreaties. Upon hearing, however, that Ralph and Percy were going,
they gained fresh hope; for they said, if English boys could go and
fight for France, it was shameful that French boys should stay at
home, in idleness.

Captain Barclay, after giving permission to his sons to go as franc
tireurs, first went for a walk by himself, to think over the
consequences of his decision. He then went down into Dijon, and
called upon Captain Tempe. The commander of the proposed corps had
served for many years in the Zouaves, and was known to be an able
and energetic officer. He had left the service, five or six years
previously, upon his marriage. He lived a short distance, only,
from Captain Barclay; and a warm friendship had sprung up between
them.

Upon Captain Barclay telling him why he had come to see him,
Captain Tempe expressed his satisfaction at the decision of the
young Barclays.

"I have already the names of one or two lads little, if any, older
than your eldest boy," he said; "and although the other is
certainly very young yet, as he is very stout and strong for his
age, I have no doubt he will bear the fatigue as well as many of
the men."

"I wish I could go with you," Captain Barclay said.

"I wish you could, indeed," Captain Tempe replied, warmly; "but
with your leg you never could keep up, on foot; and a horse would
be out of the question, among the forests of the Vosges mountains.

"You might, however--if you will--be of great use in assisting me
to drill and discipline my