careful that no one suspects our presence here!"

"What! not even Fanfar? You need not distrust him. He is good, brave,
and devoted to you."

"We will talk of that later on." In a louder voice he said: "Then,
comrade, we will accept your offer, and go with you to Remisemont
to-morrow."

Gudel nodded, then called Fanfar.

"To work, my lad," he cried. "We must stir up these excellent people in
this village. Schwann, where is my permit from the mayor?"

Schwann hurried in wiping his hands, and from under a pile of plates he
drew out a paper.

"Fanfar, sign it for me, your hand is better than mine, for the truth is
I never learned to write. And now this is done, we must go forth and
warn the people of the great pleasure in store for them."

CHAPTER XIV.

TWO PLACES, S. V. P.

In five minutes all the population of Saint Ame was on the Square, for
in these Lorraine villages amusements are rare. They were watching the
erection of an enormous shed covered with canvas and strange pictures.
An enormous handbill with letters that could be read a hundred feet off,
bore most astonishing inscriptions. At the top was Iron Jaws, who held
enormous weights with his teeth. The Giantess, who ate raw pigeons, or
any other fowl that was most convenient. The wonderful Almanzor (that
was Robeccal,) a descendant of the Moors of Spain, crushed glass with
his teeth and swallowed swords. Then there was Caillette, the
rope-dancer, who charmed the world with her voice, as well as with her
aerial lightness. And lastly, in letters of the same length as those
which Gudel used for himself, came Fanfar's name.

"FANFAR! FANFAR! FANFAR!

"STRENGTH, SKILL, DEXTERITY.

"He knows everything. He can do everything!"

And finally, there was a representation of a human pyramid, at the top
of which was Caillette, all smiles, and a flower in her hand.

The good peasants were naturally delighted with all this.

Iron Jaws, with his hands in his pockets, was marching up and down,
giving his orders like a general at the head of an army. Suddenly he
called,

"Bobichel!"

Between two pictures, one of which was a lion devouring a crocodile,
appeared the clown's head, grinning from ear to ear. He was so utterly
grotesque that the crowd shrieked with laughter.

Bobichel's name did not appear on the handbill. It had been omitted to
leave more room for that of his friend Fanfar, and Gudel had called him
to introduce him, so to speak, to