aped, as he had quite given him
up. He ended his note by saying that he had already mentioned his
name, in dispatches, and should now make a fresh report.

Colonel Tempe--or rather General Tempe, for he now commanded a
brigade--wrote also to congratulate him. One portion of his letter
contained bad news; for he mentioned that Tim had lost an arm, at
the battle of the 8th December, but that he was now doing well.

Those were exciting days at Dijon. The news of the victory at
Villersexel, followed by the fighting which ended in the capture of
Montbeliard; and then the obstinate contests near Belfort, when
Bourbaki in vain endeavored to drive back the Germans, and to
relieve the besieged town--all this kept the excitement up, at
fever heat.

It was not fated that the war should end without the boys seeing
service once more for, upon the 21st, heavy firing was heard upon
the northwest of Dijon. The Barclays' house was on the southwest of
the town. Upon the northwest the ground rises in two steep
hills--or rather one steep hill, with two summits about a mile
apart. One of these summits is called Talant, the other Fontaine
les Dijon. Behind the latter, and upon even higher ground--at a
distance of two and three miles, respectively--lay the villages of
Daix and Hauteville.

It was about ten o'clock in the morning that the boys heard the
faint boom of a cannon.

"Listen, papa," Percy shouted; "there are cannon. The Prussians are
attacking the heights, on the other side."

Captain Barclay came out into the garden, and listened for a while
with them. The enemy had taken up positions upon some of the
numerous heights surrounding, and were playing upon the batteries
at Talant, Fontaine les Dijon, Daix, and Hauteville. The French
replied vigorously; and it was evident that they were stronger, in
artillery, than were the enemy.

"I fancy," Captain Barclay said, "that it is no attack. It is
merely, I think, a fire opened to occupy our attention; in order
that a body of troops may pass along to the northward of Dijon, to
fall upon Bourbaki's rear. However, my place is with my company of
national guards. There is no fear of an attack, at present; but
they will get under arms no doubt."

"We will go down into the town with you, papa."

The firing continued until five o'clock, when it gradually died
away, the Germans retiring. An hour later, the greater portion of
the troops marched back to the town. The enemy, they reported,