hos had an adopted
son.

"If we can get Athos, all will be well," said D'Artagnan. "If we cannot,
we must do without him. We two are worth a dozen."

"Yes," said Porthos, smiling at the remembrance of their old exploits;
"but we four would be equal to thirty-six."

"I have your word, then?" said D'Artagnan.

"Yes. I will fight heart and soul for the cardinal; but--but he must
make me a baron."

"Oh, that's settled already!" said D'Artagnan. "I'll answer for your
barony."

With that he had his horse saddled, and rode on to the castle of
Bragelonne. Athos was visibly moved at the sight of D'Artagnan, and
rushed towards him and clasped him in his arms. D'Artagnan, equally
moved, held him closely, while tears stood in his eyes. Athos seemed
scarcely aged at all, in spite of his eight-and-forty years; but there
was a greater dignity about his face. Formerly, too, he had been a heavy
drinker, but now no signs of excess disturbed the calm serenity of his
countenance. The presence of his son, whom he called Raoul--a boy of
fifteen--seemed to explain to D'Artagnan the regenerated existence of
Athos.

Deeply as the heart of Athos was stirred at meeting his old
comrade-in-arms, and sincere as his attachment was to D'Artagnan, the
Count de la Fere would have nothing to do with any plan for helping
Mazarin.

D'Artagnan returned alone to await Porthos in Paris. The same night
Athos and his son also left for Paris.

_II.--The Four Set Out for England_

Queen Henrietta of England, daughter of Henry IV. of France and wife of
King Charles I., was lodged in the Louvre, while her husband lost his
crown in the civil war. The queen had appealed to Mazarin either to send
assistance to Charles I., or to receive him in France, and the cardinal
had declined both propositions. Then it was that an Englishman, Lord de
Winter, who had come to Paris to get help, appealed to Athos, whom he
had known twenty years earlier, to come to England and fight for the
king.

Athos and Aramis at once responded, and waited on the queen, who
received them in the large empty rooms--left unfurnished by the avarice
of the cardinal--allotted to her in the Louvre.

"Gentlemen," said the queen, "a few years ago I had around me knights,
treasure, and armies. To-day look around, and know that in order to
accomplish a plan which is dearer to me than life I have only Lord de
Winter, the friend of twenty years, and you, gentlemen, whom I see for
the firs