ong the cadets of good family, who form for the most part the
staff of your generals--men ready to exercise their own discretion
when in difficulties, and to carry out with due diligence the
orders committed to them."

"O'Brien's regiment has marched to the northern frontier. The
vacancies in the ranks of its officers have been filled up from
those of other regiments. I should, with Your Majesty's
permission, be glad to take these three officers on my own staff,
as, leaving Spain privately in accordance with Your Majesty's
orders, I have brought with me only Captain Fromart, my secretary,
and one young aide-de-camp. I should be glad if you would promote
Mr. Kennedy to the rank of lieutenant."

"We quite approve of both requests," the king said graciously;
"and indeed," he added with a smile, "shall not be altogether
sorry to see Lieutenant Kennedy employed outside our kingdom, for,
after making war on his own account with one of our nobles, and
kidnapping the first minister of England, there is no saying what
enterprise he might next undertake. And should he join any of
those who trouble the country with their plots, we should feel
compelled to double our guards, in order to hold ourself secure
from his designs.

"Well, gentlemen, since the Duke of Berwick has appointed you his
aides-de-camp, the least we can do is to see that you are properly
fitted out for the expedition. You have, of course, lost your
uniforms, horses, and money in our service, and it is but just
that we should see to your being refitted. If you will wait in the
anteroom, you shall each receive an order on our treasury for a
hundred louis d'ors."

The three officers bowed deeply in acknowledgment to the king,
and, bowing also to the Duke of Berwick, returned to the anteroom,
where presently one of the royal attendants brought to them the
three orders on the treasury, and also begged them, in the name of
the Duke of Berwick, to wait until his audience with the king
should be over.

They were all highly delighted with the change in their position.
The posts of staff officers were, as the duke had said, considered
to belong almost of right to members of noble families, and it was
seldom that officers of the line could aspire to them.

"Did I not tell you, Kennedy, that your luck would bring good
fortune to us all! And, by the powers, it has done so! Faith, if
anyone had said a month ago that I should by now be on the Duke of
Berwick's staff, I