he hotel.

"Who would have thought of seeing a mere lad placed at the head of the
regiment as colonel," one of the captains said. "I cannot imagine how
such a thing can have come about, for certainly he can have no family
influence. A newly raised regiment like ours wants a bright man, one
that all can look up to and respect."

"I fancy that you will find that this young gentleman will be
respected," de Thiou said. "He is young and pleasant looking, and
whatever he is I should say that he is levelheaded, and that he has
an infinite fund of firmness and resolution. I should certainly advise
nobody to take advantage of his youth. I have seen more service than
any of you, and had my family possessed any influence at court, I should
have been a colonel by this time. Unless I am greatly mistaken we shall
find that we have a man, a good man, and a strong one. Do you think
that he could have won his way to a regiment at the age of twenty unless
there had been something quite unusual? I was talking the other day with
one of Gassion's staff, who has come back until the wound that he got
at Rocroi is healed. He told me that Gassion--and France has no better
soldier--said publicly after the battle that the victory was largely due
to this young friend of ours, and that had it not been for him things
might have gone altogether differently; and he said that Enghien, proud
and ambitious as he is, frankly admitted the same thing. Of course I
can only go upon what I have seen of him, but from what he said, and
the manner in which he said it, I am convinced that we could not get a
better chief than this young colonel. I believe that he will make it a
comfortable regiment to be in, but I also believe that those who oppose
him will find that they make a grievous mistake."

The next day Hector took up in earnest the work of organizing the
regiment. In the first place he insisted that the officers should learn
their drill; then, that instead of handing over the practical command of
their companies to their sergeants, they should themselves command them
on the drill ground, look after the discipline and comfort of the men in
barracks, and become personally acquainted with the character of every
man under their command. Many of the sergeants were inefficient; these
were speedily deprived of their rank, and men of good conduct and
zeal appointed to their places. The regard of the men was won by his
insisting that the contractors for their foo