und a small place
which had escaped the attention of the Prussian quartermaster, and
where there was a small, unoccupied stable. Ralph soon struck a
bargain with its owner; returned to Salbris, mounted his cart,
drove out; and was soon settled in the little farm house.

He anticipated no great difficulty in passing out through the
outposts; as there was no French force of any importance, near, and
the German troops interfered but little with the movements of the
country people. The affair, however, turned out more easy than he
had anticipated for, towards morning, he was awoke by the distant
sound of bugles.

"Something is up," he said to himself; "either a French attack, a
general advance, or a recall. If it should be the latter, I am in
luck."

It turned out to be as Ralph hoped. The peasant in whose house he
was stopping went into Salbris, early; and came back with the news
that there was no longer a German there. Orders had come for them
to fall back, towards Orleans.

"I am not at all surprised," Ralph said, when he heard it, "for
Orleans was emptying fast of troops. This sudden march of Bourbaki
for the east, and the necessity to reinforce Frederick Charles,
near Vendome must try even Prussian resources to the utmost."

Half an hour later, Ralph was jogging along on his way to Vierzon.
There he found that the railway was open to Bourges, from which
town he should have no difficulty in getting on to Dijon. He soon
found a purchaser for his horse and cart, at ten pounds, and the
next morning started on his way home.

Chapter 21: Home.

It was a long journey from Vierzon to Dijon. At Bourges Ralph had
taken advantage of a delay of some hours--necessitated by the fact
that no train was going--to get some suitable clothes, instead of
the peasant's suit in which he had traversed the lines. He had, of
course, brought his papers with him; so that he had no difficulty,
whatever, in getting on by the train. But the train itself made but
slow work of it. Bourbaki had passed west only the week before,
with all his army, upon his march to the relief of Belfort; and the
railway was completely choked. However, Ralph was not inclined to
grumble at the cause of his delay; for it was only upon Bourbaki's
approach that the Germans had evacuated Dijon--which was now held
by Garibaldi's irregulars, and a considerable force of Mobiles.

So great were the delays that it was evening when the train reached
Dijon. Ralph h