will come; but at present, I would rather be
hunting the wild goats in Navarre than pretending to be
general-in-chief of an army, when everyone knows that I am not even
as free to go my own way as a common soldier.

"I shall look to see you again, Chevalier Philip; and shall expect
you to have some more good stories to tell me."

Having handed him his despatches, the Admiral pointed out to him
the position, as far as he knew by recent report, of the forces
under the Dukes of Aumale and Nemours.

"Possibly there will be other enemies," the Admiral said; "for our
friends in Paris have sent me word that the Spanish ambassador has,
at the king's request, written to beg the Duke of Alva, and
Mansfeld, governor of Luxembourg, to send troops to aid in barring
the way to the Duc de Deux-Ponts. I hope Alva has his hands full
with his own troubles, in the Netherlands; and although Spain is
always lavish of promises, it gives but little real aid to the
king.

"Then again, on the road you may meet with bands of German
mercenaries, sent by the Catholic princes to join the royal forces.
As you see, the despatches are written small and, at your first
halt, it will be well if you sew them in the lining of your boot.
They will escape observation there, however closely you may be
searched; for they are but of little bulk, and I have written them
on the softest paper I could obtain, so that it will not crackle to
the touch.

"I leave it to yourself to choose the route; but I think that you
could not do better than take that one you before followed, when
you and Laville joined me at Chatillon. Thence keep well south
through Lorraine. The royal forces are at Metz. I can give you no
farther instructions; for I cannot say how rapidly Deux-Ponts may
move, or what route he may be obliged to take, to avoid the royal
forces.

"And now farewell, lad. Remember that it is an important service
you are rendering to our cause, and that much depends on your
reaching Deux-Ponts; for the despatches tell him the route by which
I intend to move, indicate that which he had best follow in order
that he may effect a junction, and give him many details as to
roads, fords, and bridges, that may be of vital importance to him."

Philip rode forty miles that night; and put up, just as daylight
was breaking, at the village of Auverge. There they rested for six
hours, and then rode on to Laville; where he was received with
great joy by his aunt, for whom h