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must know her. She is the wife of Klopstock, the carpenter."

"Surely," Ralph said, "she is my neighbor; everyone knows her. She

is very like you."

"Well now, you are the first person who has ever said that," the

woman said, surprised. "I am so short, and she is so tall."

"Yes, she is tall--very tall," Ralph said, very gravely; "but there

is something about the expression of your eyes which reminds me of

Mrs. Klopstock.

"Yes, the more I look at you, the more I see it," and Ralph looked

so earnestly, at the woman, that Percy had the greatest difficulty

in preventing himself going off into a shout of laughter.

"I wonder I have never seen you, at Holzhausen," Ralph continued.

"Well," the woman said, "it is years since I have been there. You

see, it is a long way, and my sister often comes into Wiesbaden,

and I see her; but in truth, her husband and I don't get on very

well together. You know his temper is--" and she lifted up her

hands.

"Yes, indeed," Ralph said. "His temper is, as you say, terrible.

Between ourselves, it is so well known that we have a saying, 'As

bad tempered as Klopstock the carpenter.' One can't say more than

that--

"But we are at Wiesbaden. Good morning."

"Good morning. I hope your uncle's tooth will be better, ere long."

"I hope so, indeed, for all our sakes," Ralph said. "He is as bad

as Klopstock, at present."

So saying, they got out of the train and walked into the town. When

they had separated from the crowd, Percy could restrain himself no

longer, and went off into a scream of laughter.

"What is it, Mister Percy?" Tim asked, opening his lips for the

first time since they had left the house.

"Oh, Tim, if you had but heard!" Percy said, when he recovered his

voice. "Do you know you are as bad tempered as Klopstock, the

carpenter?"

"Sure, I never heard tell of him, Mister Percy; and if I have been

bad tempered, I haven't said much about it; and if the carpenter

had a wad of cotton as big as a cricket ball in one cheek, as I

have, it's small blame to him if he was out of temper."

Both the boys laughed, this time; and then Ralph explained the

whole matter to Tim, who laughed more heartily than either of them.

"Which way shall we go, Ralph?"

"I looked at the map, the last thing before starting, Percy; and I

noticed that the road went out past the gambling place. I dare not

take out the map again, to look at the plan of the town--it would

look too suspicious--so let us wander about, till we find the

place. It has large grounds, so we cannot miss it."

They were not long in finding the place they were looking for.

There was no mistaking it; with its long arcades leading up to the

handsome conversation rooms, its piece of water, and its

beautifully laid-out grounds.

"I should like to go in, and have a look at it," Percy said. "I can

hear the band playing, now."

"So should I," Ralph said, "but time is too precious. They will

find out at the muster, this afternoon, that we are missing and, as

we answered this morning, they will know that we cannot have got

far. We had better put as many miles between us as we can.

"First of all, though, let us put those papers Christine got us

into the envelope, and drop them into that post box. We should not

do badly, either, to buy three dark-colored blankets before we

start. It is terribly cold; and we shall want them, at night."

They therefore turned up into the town again; and then Ralph

separated from the others, and went in and bought the blankets. Ten

minutes later they were walking along, at a steady pace, from the

town. Each carried a stick. The boys carried theirs upon their

shoulder; with a bundle, containing a change of clothes and other

articles, slung upon it. Tim carried his bundle in one hand, and

walked using his stick in the other. When a short distance out of

the town, they stopped in a retired place; and put some strips of

plaster upon Tim's cheeks, and wrapped up his face with a white

bandage. It was, as he said, "mighty uncomfortable," but as he was

now able to dispense with the ball of cotton in his mouth, he did

not so much mind it.

The day was bitterly cold, for it was now the beginning of the

second week of November; but the party strode on, full of the

consciousness of freedom. They met but few people, upon their way;

and merely exchanged a brief good day with those they did meet.

They had brought some bread and cold meat with them, from Mayence;

and therefore had no need to go into any shops, at the villages

they passed.

They did not dare to sleep in a house, as it was certain that some

official would inquire for their papers; and therefore, when it

became dark, they turned off from the road and made for a wood, at

a short distance from it. Here they ate their supper, laid a

blanket on the ground, put the bundles down for pillows, and lay

down close together, putting the other two blankets over them.

"It's mighty cold," Tim said, "but we might be worse."

"It's better than a prison in Pomerania, by a long way," Ralph

answered. "By the look of the sky, and the dropping of the wind, I

think we shall have snow before morning."

At daybreak, next morning, they were up; but it was some little

time before they could start, so stiffened were their limbs with

the cold. Ralph's prognostication as to the weather had turned out

right, and a white coating of snow lay over the country. They now

set off and walked, for an hour, when they arrived at a large

village. Here it was agreed they should go in, and buy something to

eat. They entered the ale house, and called for bread, cheese, and

beer.

The landlord brought it and, as they expected, entered into

conversation with them. After the first remarks--on the sharpness

of the weather--Ralph produced a tin of portable soup, and asked

the landlord if he would have it heated, for their uncle.

"He cannot, as you see, eat solid food," Ralph said; "He had his

jaw broken by a shell, at Woerth."

"Poor fellow!" the landlord said, hastening away with the soup.

"Are you going far?" he asked, on his return.

"To Saint Goar," Ralph said.

"But why does he walk?" the landlord asked. "He could have been

sent home, by train."

"Of course he could," Ralph said. "We walked over to see him, and

intended to have walked back again; but when the time came for us

to start, he said he would come, too. The surgeon said he was not

fit to go. Uncle had made up his mind to be off and, as the surgeon

would not give him an order, he started to walk. He says it does

not hurt him so much as the jolting of the train, and we shall be

home to breakfast."

An hour later they arrived at Saint Goarshaus. They were now quite

out of the track which prisoners escaping from Mayence would be

likely to take, and had not the slightest difficulty in getting a

boat to cross the Rhine.

"How beautiful the river is, here," Percy said.

"Yes it is, indeed," Ralph answered. "I believe that this is

considered one of the most lovely spots on the whole river. I can't

say that I think that that railway, opposite, improves it."

They landed at Saint Goar, and tramped gaily on to Castellan, and

slept in a barn near that village.

The next morning they were off before daybreak and, eight miles

farther, crossed the Moselle at Zell. They left the road before

they arrived at Alf; for they were now approaching the great road

between Coblentz and the south, and might come upon bodies of

troops upon the march, or halting; and might be asked troublesome

questions. They therefore struck upon a country lane and, keeping

among the hills, crossed the main road between Bertrich and

Wittlech; and slept in a copse, near Dudeldf. They had walked

five-and-thirty miles, and were so dead beat that even the cold did

not keep them awake.

Next morning they got a fresh supply of bread and cheese, at a tiny

village between Dudeldf and Bittburg and, leaving the latter place

to the left, made straight for the frontier, across the hills. The

road to the frontier ran through Bittburg; but they were afraid of

keeping to it, as there were sure to be troops at the frontier.

Several times they lost their way; but the pocket compass and map,

which they had brought with them, stood them in good stead and,

late in the evening, they arrived at the stream which forms the

frontier. It was, fortunately, very low; for the cold had frozen up

its sources. They had, therefore, little difficulty in crossing

and, tired as they were, gave a cheer upon finding themselves in

Luxembourg.

They tramped along merrily, until they came to a cottage; where

they boldly entered, and were received with the greatest kindness,

and hospitality. The Luxembourg people at once feared and hated

Prussia, and were delighted to do anything in their power for the

escaped prisoners. The peasant made a blazing fire, and some hot

coffee; and the tired travelers felt what a blessing it was to sit

down without listening, every moment, for the step of an enemy.

The peasants told them, however, that they were not yet altogether

safe for that, owing to the complaints of Prussia, both the Dutch

and Belgian Governments were arresting, and detaining, escaped

prisoners passing through their territories. After some discussion

the boys agreed that, next morning, they should dress themselves in

the change of clothes they had brought--which were ordinary

shooting suits--and should leave their other clothes behind; and

then walk as far as Spa, twenty miles to the north. They would

excite no suspicion in the minds of anyone who saw them arrive; as

they would merely be taken for three Englishmen, staying at one of

the numerous hotels there, returning from a walk. Their feet

however were so much swollen, the next morning, that they were glad

to remain another day quiet in the cottage; and the following day

they started, and walked gaily into Spa.

After strolling about the place, some time, they went to the

railway station at the time the evening train started for Brussels;

asked for tickets--in very English French--and, at eleven o'clock

at night, entered Brussels. Here their troubles were over. A good

night's rest, in a good hotel, completely set them up again and,

the next morning, they left by train for Dunkirk.

There they reported themselves to the French officer in command;

and received permission to go on board a Government steamer which

was to leave, the next morning, for Cherbourg.

Chapter 14: A Perilous Expedition.

Upon the eleventh of November the boys arrived at Tours. They had

started for that place, as the national headquarters, the moment

they arrived at Cherbourg. At Tours men's hopes were high for, a

week before, Aurelles de Paladine had driven back Von der Tann, and

reoccupied Orleans. Every hour fresh troops were arriving, and

passing forwards. The town was literally thronged with soldiers, of

all sorts: batteries of artillery, regiments of cavalry, squadrons

of Arab Spahis--looking strangely out of place in their white

robes, and unmoved countenance, in this scene of European

warfare--franc tireurs, in every possible variety of absurd and

unsuitable uniform.

In all this din and confusion, the young Barclays felt quite

bewildered. The first thing was, evidently, to get new uniforms;

then to report themselves. There was no difficulty about the former

matter, for every tailor in Tours had, for the time being, turned

military outfitter and, by dint of offering to pay extra, their

uniforms were promised for the next morning. That matter settled,

they determined to go at once to the Prefecture, and report

themselves.

As they turned out of the crowded Rue Royal, they received two

hearty slaps on the shoulder, which almost knocked them down; while

a hearty voice exclaimed:

"My dear boys, I am glad to see you!"

They looked round and--to their astonishment and delight--saw

Colonel Tempe. For a minute or two, the hand shakings and greetings

were so hearty that no questions could be asked.

"I thought a German prison would not hold you long, boys," the

colonel said. "I saw your father, as I came through Dijon; and I

said to him that I should be surprised if you did not turn up soon,

especially when I heard from him that you were at Mayence, only two

days' tramp from the frontier."

"But what are you doing here, colonel?"

"Just at present, I am working at headquarters. Between ourselves,

the army of the east is coming round to join Aurelles. Our poor

fellows were pretty nearly used up, and I found that I could do

little real good with the other corps. So I gave up the command;

and was sent here to confer with Gambetta, and he has kept me.

"Now, what are you going to do?"

"We were going to report ourselves, colonel."

"No use going today--too late. Come and dine with me, at the

Bordeaux. Have you got rooms?"

"Not yet, colonel."

"Then I can tell you you won't get them, at all. The place is

crowded--not a bed to be had, for love or money. I've got rooms, by

the greatest good luck. One of you can have the sofa; the other an

armchair, or the hearth rug, whichever suits you best."

"Thank you, very much; we shall do capitally," the boys said.

"And now, have you any news from Paris?"

"We have no late news from Paris but, worse still, the news gets

very slowly and irregularly into Paris. The pigeons seem to get

bewildered with the snow, or else the Prussians shoot them."

"But surely, with such an immense circle to guard, there could be