can assure you, every battle fought makes very
heavy gaps in our ranks; but in spite of that, three fresh
regiments have been raised, in the last year, partly by fresh
comers from Ireland, and partly by Irish deserters from
Marlborough's regiments.

"But I am interrupting your story."

"Well, after leaving Mr. O'Carroll, and making my preparations, I
paid a visit to the cottage where the officer was staying, in
disguise, and told him that I wanted to cross. He gave instructions
as to how to proceed. I was to go to a certain street in Cork, and
knock at a certain door. When it was opened, I was to say, 'The sea
is calm and the sky is bright'.

"'Then', he said, 'you will be taken in hand, and put on board one
of the craft engaged in the work of carrying our recruits across
the water. You will be landed at Saint Malo, where there is an
agent of the Brigade, who gives instructions to the recruits as to
how they are to proceed, supplies them with money enough for the
journey, and a man to accompany each party, and act as interpreter
on the way.

"I carried out his instructions, crossed the channel in a lugger
with thirty young peasants, bound also for Paris, and, on landing
at Saint Malo, took my place in the diligence for Paris; having,
fortunately, no need for an interpreter. On my presenting my
letter to the Marquis de Noailles, he received me with great
kindness, and treated me as a guest, until he had obtained me a
commission in your regiment.

"Now, when are we likely to go on active service?"

"Soon, I expect," O'Neil said; "but whether we shall be sent to
the Peninsula, or to Flanders, no one knows. In fact, it is likely
enough that we shall, for the present, remain here; until it is
seen how matters go, and where reinforcements will be most
required. It is but ten months since we came into garrison, in
Paris, and we may therefore expect to be one of the last regiments
ordered off.

"For my part, I am in no particular hurry to exchange comfortable
quarters, and good living, and such adventures as may fall to the
lot of a humble subaltern, for roughing it in the field; where, as
has been the case ever since the Brigade was formed, we get a good
deal more than our fair share of hard work and fighting."

"I should have thought that you would all have liked that,"
Desmond said, in some surprise.

"Enough is as good as a feast," the other said; "and when you have
done a few weeks' work in trenches, before