ed closely the fortunes of
Lafayette, following him even into prison. There was Colonel de
Valfort who, in later years, became an Instructor of Napoleon; and
Major de Buysson who was at the battle of Camden and brought word of
the eleven wounds that were needed to cause the death of the intrepid
Baron de Kalb. The list included still other names of members of noble
families in France.

Something was indeed happening to the youth of France in 1750 and
1760. A restless ardor, a love of adventure, a love of glory, together
with the bewitchment of that beautiful word "liberty," were among the
motives that inspired their actions. They went into the military
service at fourteen or even earlier, and were colonels of regiments at
twenty-two or twenty-four. They were "sick for breathing and exploit."

An amusing story is told of one of these adventurous boys. He got into
a quarrel with a school-mate about the real positions of the Athenians
and Persians at the battle of Plataea. He even made a small wager on it
and then set out to find whether he had been right or not. He actually
went on foot to Marseilles and from there sailed as cabin-boy to
Greece, Alexandria, and Constantinople. There a French ambassador
caught the young investigator and sent him home! Before he was
twenty-four, however, he was in America, covering himself with glory
at Germantown and at Red Bank. This was the kind of youths they were;
and many thrilling stories could be told about the lives of these
gallant young Frenchmen.

And how young they were! More than a hundred of the French officers
who came to America to serve in the Revolution were in the early
twenties. There were a few seasoned old warriors, of course, but the
majority of them were young. Such were the companions-in-arms of
Lafayette, himself still in his teens.

Lafayette's voyage was not without adventure. He had a heavy ship with
but two inferior cannon and a few guns--he could not have escaped from
the smallest privateer. But should they be attacked, he resolved to
blow up the ship rather than surrender. When they had gone some forty
leagues, they met a small ship. The captain turned pale; but the crew
were now much attached to Lafayette and had great confidence in him,
and the officers were numerous. They made a show of resistance; but it
proved to be only a friendly American ship.

As they proceeded on their way, Lafayette noticed that the captain was
not keeping the boat due west.